Who's the Hairy Ape and 5 Other Surprising Facts About Gorillas

You probably know that gorillas have opposable thumbs, but did you know they have the same number of hairs on their bodies as humans?

We’re super close relatives, sharing 98.4 percent similar DNA, so it’s logical that we’d be equally hairy. Our body hair is finer, shorter and lighter is all. Gorilla hair also turns gray or silver and falls out, just as ours does (but there’s no proof they obsess over it).

Given the surge in interest in gorillas after the death of Harambe, who was shot dead at the Cincinnati Zoo last weekend to save a toddler who had fallen into his den, we thought we’d share some other things you may not know about gorillas, the largest of the great apes.

MORE ON THE KILLING OF HARAMBE

» Shot That Killed Gorilla Harambe Refuels A Revolution

» Killing of Gorilla Harambe: 7 Things Real Great Ape Experts Said

» 5 Gorilla Conservation Groups to Support in Memory of Harambe

It’s only a movie, it’s only a movie. Powerful, striking and intimidating with their chest pounding, gorillas are often portrayed in pop culture as aggressive and dangerous killers. In fact, their demeanor is the exact opposite. These shy and peaceful apes are gentle giants. They're more likely to hide from you in the forest than charge you. If you’re looking for movies that accurately depict gorillas, consider “Gorillas in the Mist,” the epic story of Dian Fossey, who lost her life protecting mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

A gorilla would outrun Usain Bolt, the elite sprinter whose record in the 100-mile dash figures out to be about 23 mph. Gorillas are large — silverbacks can weigh 400 to 440 pounds — but their size doesn’t slow them down. They can reach speeds of of up to 25 mph, and they have to plow through dense vegetation instead of run on a smooth track.

Gorillas are the Johnny Appleseeds of equatorial African forests. They cover a large range, so when they do what we all do after eating a meal with lots of roughage, they spread the seeds of the fruits they consume all along the forest floor. Their role is important from a biodiversity standpoint, plus scientists can learn a lot about the ecological health of a region by examining its inhabitants’ poop.

Gorillas sleep around. Hold on, what we mean to say is they build a new nest in the trees every night. They spend most of their time on the ground, though.

Image credit: Silverback in the wild by Joachim Huber via Flickr / Creative Commons