Gorilla (Western Lowland)

Hi there! My name is Koko, and I’m a Western Lowland Gorilla. I live deep in the beautiful, green rainforests of Central Africa with my family. My family is called a troop, and we stick together all the time. Our leader is a big, strong silverback—that’s what you call an adult male gorilla because of the silvery fur on his back. He keeps us safe. People like you first learned about my kind way back in 1847, and I'm excited to tell you all about my life!

Every morning, I wake up in a cozy nest made of leaves and branches that I built the night before. The first thing on my mind is breakfast! I'm an omnivore, primarily eating plants but occasionally consuming insects. I spend most of my day munching on yummy leaves, stems, and juicy fruits. Sometimes I have to use my strong arms to pull down branches to get the best snacks. After eating, there's always time for a nap or to play with the other young gorillas in my troop.

Living in a troop is the best. We talk to each other using grunts, rumbles, and sometimes, a loud chest-beat! When our silverback beats his chest, it's not usually because he's angry; it's his way of saying, 'I'm here, and I'm in charge!' to other gorilla families. Mother gorillas carry their infants for the first few months; thereafter, the young ride on their mother's back and gradually gain independence over the first few years. We learn everything from our family, like how to find food and build the perfect nest.

My rainforest home is very special, but it is also in trouble. The forests are getting smaller, which makes it harder for us to find food and safe places to live. In 2007, some very smart people realized that my kind needed extra help and listed us as 'critically endangered'. The good news is that many people are working to protect us. They create safe places called national parks, like the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, which was created in 1993, where my family and I can live and play without worry.

Did you know that I have a very important job? I'm a gardener for the whole forest! When I eat delicious fruit, I swallow the seeds. Later, as I travel through the jungle, those seeds come out in my poop and fall to the ground. This plants new trees and helps the forest grow strong and healthy. By helping us gorillas, people are also helping keep the entire rainforest alive for all the other animals, too. We all work together to make our home a wonderful place to live. A Western Lowland Gorilla like me can live for about 30 to 40 years, helping the forest the whole time.