World Rhino Day
Animal awareness days
Held on September 22nd, World Rhino Day celebrates all species of rhinoceros and raises awareness about the threats they face. Learn more here.
Animal awareness days
Held on September 24th, World Gorilla Day is observed internationally as an opportunity to investigate and understand these incredible primates. Here’s everything you need to know about gorillas, the threats they face, and the actions you can take to help.
World Gorilla Day is celebrated across the world on the 24th of September every year. On this day, individuals and organisations with an interest in gorilla welfare work together to raise awareness of the plight of gorillas.
World Gorilla Day is one of the newer animal awareness days, having only started in 2017. It’s a chance to increase public understanding of these majestic animals and the threats they’re facing in the wild, especially from the exotic pet trade.
Gorillas are large, powerful mammals, but they desperately need our help and protection.
Mountain gorillas are considered endangered with only around 1,000 currently living in the wild. They face habitat loss as humans are using up their land for living space and intensive agriculture. This brings gorilla populations into close contact with humans, leading to potential conflict.
The close genetic similarity between gorillas and humans also means that we can share diseases. This makes increased contact between gorillas and humans even more dangerous.
Though gorillas are hunted as bushmeat, they are more often caught up in hunts for other animals, getting injured in snares and traps left by poachers. One of the biggest threats to their survival, however, is the illegal pet trade. They are caught by poachers and sold to private owners who can’t take proper care of them, causing the animal to suffer both physically and psychologically.
Gorillas are mainly herbivores but they do also eat insects, snails, and caterpillars. They consume up to 30kg of food each day.
Gorillas can’t swim, which explains why they don’t seem to like water. They’ve been seen using pieces of bamboo to check whether water is shallow enough to cross and they regularly take shelter from the rain.
Gorillas are great apes, not monkeys. In fact, they’re the largest of the great apes. One way to tell the difference is to look if they have a tail — primates without tails are apes.
Gorillas are highly intelligent, sentient beings. They can use tools, communicate vocally, and captive gorillas have even been taught sign language. Some gorillas appear to be able to recognise themselves in mirrors, although this is unusual in the wild.
Gorillas also live as part of social groups known as troops. They work together to build social relationships and protect the troop from harm.
Gorillas can climb trees but they prefer to spend more time on the ground. Some gorillas will sleep in nests in the trees.
Animal awareness days
Held on September 22nd, World Rhino Day celebrates all species of rhinoceros and raises awareness about the threats they face. Learn more here.
Animal awareness days
Held on August 19th, World Orangutan Day is the perfect time to learn more about these great apes, their lives in the wild, and the threats they face.
Animal Awareness Days
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