Endangered: The Cross River Gorilla Quiz

Answer: Throwing sticks

When most gorillas encounter humans they usually run and hide. They are very rarely aggressive to humans. The Cross River gorilla has been seen throwing sticks, rocks and clumps of grass at humans who enter their territory. They display their great intelligence by treating humans as the threat that they really are.

Answer: Cameroon and Nigeria

The Cross River gorilla is only found in the countries of Cameroon and Nigeria. They are scattered into a dozen different family groups in an area of about 3,000 square miles. The human population in these areas continues to grow at the same time the population of many native species continues to decline.

Answer: Inbreeding

The Cross River gorilla, like many endangered species, faces the problem of inbreeding. The fact that they rarely, if ever, interact with other family groups has led to inbreeding. The smaller the populations get, the more inbreeding occurs, which is followed by a loss of genetic diversity.

Answer: False

While the hunting and killing or gorillas is illegal in both Cameroon and Nigeria, enforcement of these laws is extremely lax. There has been no legal bill making it illegal to hunt animals within 25 miles of the river. Such a law would be unenforceable as many in the area are subsistence hunters.

The two countries are beginning to work together to save their indigenous animal populations. Until the local human populations realize that their gorillas are valuable for tourist trade dollars, the numbers of these primates will decline.

Answer: They produce about one baby every five years

The Cross River gorilla breeds very slowly. Adult females give birth to one baby every 4-5 years. They do not breed again until the baby is grown and on its own, which takes about three years. The previously mentioned inbreeding problems have also led to fertility issues, a common problem with associated with inbreeding.

Answer: Logging

The logging industry has created havoc with many of the worlds forested areas. Logging has made it difficult for different family groups to interact, and has depleted much of the area that these animals call home. Man's irresponsible acts of habitat destruction are one of the most common causes of endangerment and extinction for animals all over the planet.

Answer: Gorillas love leaves, roots, grubs and termites

All gorillas, including the Cross River gorilla have a diet that is mainly herbivorous. They eat flowers, fruit, leaves, roots, and supplement this with termites, grubs, and other insects. The exact plant and insect life eaten depends on what is available.

As far as their diet is concerned, most gorillas are fairly adaptable. They have even been known to eat soil if it contains needed minerals.

Answer: True

There is so little known about this magnificent animal. It was not even caught on tape until 2009 in the country of Cameroon. The gorilla was sitting on a forested mountain, seemingly unaware he was being taped. For many years this primate had been thought to be extinct.

Answer: 50 years

Gorillas are very similar to humans in many ways including life spans. Gorillas can live between 50-60 years. Sadly, the actions of humans has dropped average life expectancy drastically. Family groups are led by an alpha male, with a small harem of adult females and their offspring.

Other adult males are tolerated as long as they remain subordinate. As more gorillas die at younger ages, the wisdom gained with age is disappearing, leaving all gorillas even more susceptible to extinction. The Cross River gorilla is one of the most endangered primates in the world. If great care is not taken, they will be extinct within the next thirty years.

Answer: False

This is false. There were only about 300 not 3,000. Gorillas as a rule, do not adapt well to zoo life, as they are intelligent enough to know that they are being kept hostage and being observed. That being said, it must be acknowledged that some animals have been saved from complete extinction through the efforts of zoos and other wildlife centers.