Common to the tropical western regions of Africa, including Cameroon, Gabon, the Congo and Nigeria, the Lowland name is somewhat misleading, because they can be found in the hillier and mountain plateau regions.

But for all their size, with males growing to 66" and 350 lbs., the gorilla is basically a shy and gentle creature, and really does bear an amazing resemblance to Man, in both their natures and characteristics.

The average lifespan in the wild, is 30 years, with males maturing at around 15 years, and females not breeding until around 10 years, after which they will have one, or sometimes two young, every 3-4 years. Their social groups remain stable, with one male dominating, who is referred to as a "silverback", a name that comes from the silvery hair that grows over the lumbar area at sexual maturity.

A gorilla "family" may consist of anywhere from 5-30 animals, including the dominant male, immature males, and females who generally never leave a group, unless it is "raided" by a lone male who may kill a female's infant in order to separate her from the unit. Mature males break away to lead a solitary life, or form groups of their own, if they can acquire females.