Western Gorilla

The gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) is the gentle giant of the jungle, generally behaving peacefully. When threatened, however, a male will put up a show of strength by standing tall, growling and beating his chest. If this does not frighten his attacker, he will sometimes charge - but swerve at the last minute to avoid actual contact.

Family groups of 5-15 comprise the dominant male - known as a silverback because of his greying back fur - his mates and their offspring. The silverback leads his family, deciding when and where to eat and sleep and constantly guarding them from other males trying to take over the group.

Gorillas are intelligent, have good memories and can be taught problem-solving. In the 1970s, researchers taught one gorilla, Koko, sign language and he was able to communicate using more than 1000 signs.