Larger silverback gorillas are slightly faster, with speeds that can reach 25 miles per hour. An average gorilla can reach a speed up to 20 miles per hour. Most of their limb strength is used to support their own body weights. In fact, gorillas have about 36.6% of their total muscle mass concentrated in their front limbs and about 42.5% in their hind limbs.ĭespite their strong limbs, gorillas can’t reach high speeds, though. This type of movement explains the presence of strong muscles in both front and hind limbs. Bipedal movements are limited and generally only employed for eating or socialization purposes. For locomotion, gorillas use all four limbs as legs (knuckle-walking). LegsĪside from strong forelimbs, gorillas also have strong hind limbs. Comparatively, the average man has a hand size of 7.6×3.5 inches. In fact, a silverback gorilla has a hand size of about 12×6 inches. Not only are silverback gorillas the largest primates, but they also have very big hands. There are no scientific studies, but considering that orangutans have a grip strength of about 600 pounds, it is safe to assume that gorillas are stronger than this. In addition to a strong punch, gorillas also have a strong grip. This force is similar to that of a Sumatran tiger.
Based on their body weight and maximum speed, a gorilla’s punch can have an impact force of 12,500 lb.-ft./s. Similar to boxing, a gorilla’s punch force depends on its weight and velocity at the moment of the impact. However, this doesn’t mean that gorillas go around throwing powerful punches. Compared to the average man, silverback gorillas have a punch force about 30 times stronger. Silverback gorillas have a punch force up to 2,700 pounds – strong enough to shatter bones with one slam.
That’s when all male gorillas develop their characteristic silver-grey fur.See also 9 Types Of Pine Trees In Arizona (With Pictures) How Strong Is A Silverback’s Punch ? Their weight doubles between the ages of twelve and eighteen. They only finish maturing, however, by the time they are about eighteen. Males become sexually mature relatively young. After that they must abide by all the rules and the hierarchy in the group. The white tuft means something like: “I’m young so I can still do whatever I please.” The white tuft disappears when gorillas reach puberty, by age five or six. This tuft is a clear signal to the other members of the group to treat the young gorilla kindly. During the first years of their life, you can recognise gorilla young by the tuft of white hair on their buttocks. Young gorillas suckle milk from their mother for four or five years. Mothers initially carry their infants on their belly and later on their back or on an arm or leg. Gorilla babies hold on tightly to their mother’s fur using their hands and feet. The newly born infant is very small and only weighs two kilos. The new mother then rests for a few hours and goes out with the group again the very next day. They have their first baby when they are about ten. This sound is amplified by the hollow space in its chest and can be heard as far as two kilometres away! By the way, gorillas beat their chests for other reasons too, for example when they want to play, challenge each other or boast.įemale gorillas become fertile when they are about eight years old. He then runs towards the other animal, tearing up bushes and trees on the way to demonstrate his strength and then does a drum roll by beating his chest with his flat hands. Which he might do to intimidate another silverback.
It’s especially impressive to see a silverback beating his chest. But sometimes he hits a female to correct her. If the females are at odds with each other, he usually lets them sort it out themselves. Sometimes the silverback must act, though. All he has to do to control the group is adopt a certain posture, or look directly at another individual. Often the silverback doesn’t even need this type of communication. They do this, for example, when they lose sight of each other, or feel threatened or get into an argument.
But gorillas are also capable of screaming and roaring loudly. They often produce a soft, humming sound which tells other individuals that they are contented. Gorillas are very quiet and friendly animals.
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