Gorillas can be as tall as 5.6 feet when standing and between 300-600 pounds! Gorillas have thick, black fur covering most of their body. Adult males develop silvery-gray hair on their backs, giving them the name "silverbacks". They have very long arms that are longer than their legs. Their faces are dark, hairless, and have brown eyes. Like humans, they have five fingers and five toes. Their hands are similar to ours but stronger, with shorter thumbs. They can grasp objects just like we do. They have large, forward-facing eyes that help them see well. Their nostrils are large and distinctive. They have big teeth but mostly eat plants! Gorillas can laugh and make about 25 different sounds to communicate. They share 98% of their DNA with humans. They're one of our closest animal relatives.

Gorillas live in the forests of central Africa. Mountain gorillas live in misty mountain forests. Lowland gorillas live in tropical rainforests. They prefer warm, sometimes rainy weather. Mountain gorillas can handle cooler temperatures at high altitudes. Each gorilla family stays in an area of about 4-8 square miles. They make new nests every night to sleep in. They spend most of their time on the ground but can climb trees

Gorillas are mostly herbivores (plant-eaters). They eat leaves, stems, and shoots, fruits when they can find them and sometimes they eat small insects. They eat for about 6 hours every day. Adult gorillas can eat up to 40 pounds of food each day. They're very good at finding the most nutritious plants. They remember where and when different fruits will be ripe. Adult gorillas have almost no natural predators. They play an important role in spreading plant seeds through the forest

Strong muscles help them climb and gather food. Their thick fur keeps them warm in cool mountain air. They use many facial expressions, just like people. They grunt, hoot, and make other sounds to talk to each other. Silverbacks protect their families from danger. They may beat their chests and charge to scare away threats. They're excellent climbers. They know which plants are safe to eat. Gorillas live in families called troops. A troop usually has 5-10 gorillas. The silverback is like a dad who leads and protects the family.