A Whoop of Gorillas

In the wild, gorillas can live to be 35 years old, and up to 50 years old in captivity. We humans share over 95% of our DNA with these largest of the primates. Adult males weigh between 300 to 500 pounds and they will posture aggressively to defend themselves and their families. However, these highly intelligent apes are shy at heart and prefer to live gentle and peaceful lives. They are primarily vegetarian, although they will dine on insects too. Like humans (and unlike any other animal except their great ape cousins, bonobos), gorillas sometimes have face-to-face sex, doing it “missionary style.” Homosexuality is also normal in gorillas, mostly exhibited by the males, who swing both ways.