How strong is a gorilla?
This question pops up frequently, and we humans like to measure things such as strength, so let’s give the question some thought. How much can a gorilla bench press? What could it carry?
Gorillas are ground-dwelling (living on the ground instead of in trees), knuckle-walking primates that inhabit the forests of central Africa. There are two different species: western lowland gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas. The names are pretty self-explanatory. One is found in lowlands, the other is found in the lower-midlands.
Gorillas are omnivorous animals—meaning they eat meat and plants (similar to humans). They can weigh up to 200 pounds! Some gorillas living in captivity have reached 300 pounds! That’s a big animal, but it still doesn’t answer our questions about strength. Gorillas are generally gentle creatures unless provoked, so why should we care how strong they are? I think these little tidbits of information just add more.
What is the story of gorillas’ strength?
• Gorillas have been reported “manhandling” orangutans twice their weight by swinging them around by one arm. Notice that this was successful by swinging the orangutan over a short distance.
• The gorilla can lift an impressive 400 pounds because of its immense strength and leverage.
• Gorillas have been known to rip doors off cars with little effort! This is a small car, mind you—not a huge SUV. There are also reports that gorillas will even throw coconuts at people they perceive as threats (coconuts can weigh up to three pounds)!
Now that we know how strong gorillas are, there’s another question that might be on your mind: Are gorillas stronger than humans? The answer is not cut-and-dry since there isn’t much research done comparing these two species, but it seems like if gorillas were provoked enough, they could send a human to the hospital. However, humans have far more brainpower than gorillas do, so we could outsmart them easily enough.
Gorillas might not be as strong as some animals– tigers and elephants come to mind– but they’re definitely up there with the strength of other animals such as lions and rhinos. If you’re still curious about how strong a gorilla is, you should look into taking a trip to Africa and finding one yourself! You can even go on daily gorilla treks where you’re led through the forests by a guide to look for gorillas.
A popular question from those who have watched Planet Earth is how much does a gorilla weigh? In addition, people want to know how strong gorillas as well as other characteristics about these primates are. These questions plus many others will be answered in this article providing interesting information about gorillas.
How much does a gorilla weigh?
A mature male gorilla can weigh up to 400 pounds, while females are smaller by comparison weighing between 150 to 200 pounds. Gorillas are the largest primates in the world, yet their size isn’t what many people know or think when they picture gorillas. What is known about their weight is that it varies depending on age and habitat in addition to other factors. For example, mountain gorillas have a diet of plants which makes them slimmer because plants don’t have much fat compared to animals. It’s also interesting to note that babies start by gaining half of their mother’s birth weight every month for the first year before slowing down after six months old. We are still learning new things about gorillas including how much a gorilla weigh does.
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Gorillas naturally have great strength which they use for survival against predators in addition to moving around their habitat. They aren’t considered powerful because of their size, but rather the muscle structure and bone density they possess. A typical adult male would be able to lift over 500 pounds with ease, while the record is 680 pounds supported by one arm; impressive compared to humans! Yet, that doesn’t mean that gorillas can do what any human can do or even more than human beings. One study revealed that a weightlifter who could press 200 pounds overhead only lifted 180 pounds when an adult male gorilla did it (the equivalent of lifting two large suitcases).
Gorilla Strength Test to help further understand how strong gorillas are, an experiment was done on Koko the gorilla. To demonstrate her strength, she was asked to lift a table and bench as well as move around a heavy beam. She did these things without much effort as one would expect from such a large animal (and compared to humans).
Gorilla Strength Test – Video One interesting fact that people rarely know about is that gorillas can’t swim; they sink like stones due to their size and bone density which makes them naturally heavier than other animals in the water. Their enormous weight also limits physical activity because it puts strain on joints and bones; another reason why young males tend to be more active than adults or females of the species.
How long does a gorilla live?
A gorilla’s lifespan is relatively short compared to humans. Gorillas only live about 35 years in the wild and 50 years if they are kept in captivity due to superior medical treatment. The reasons for death among gorillas include infections, sicknesses, injuries, malnutrition, and other types of accidents or issues which can affect any mammal species. When kept as pets or in zoos, gorillas usually die from old age because they aren’t able to fight off the many germs that infect them. It’s also found that gorillas that are around humans tend to be killed by hunters; this is why it’s illegal to keep them as pets even though some still try.
Conclusion
Gorillas are more powerful than both of us put together. The silverbacks can lift or feel sick to 815 kg, but a well-trained human can only lift 400 kg, allowing them to grow more than 20 healthy adults put together. No adult gorilla could lift more than 450 kilograms while maintaining a body weight of 200 kilos.
