GORILLAS: THE GENTLE GIANTS

Most people think that gorillas are feirce and mean.  They even think that a gorilla will kill and eat you if you are in thier sight.  Well, just don't listen to them.  They are wrong.  Gorillas only eat plants, and they never atack unless they have to.

Gorillas can grow up to 6 feet and weigh 450 pounds!       A lowland gorilla named Koko learned how to speak American Sign Language.

Male gorillas are called silverbacks because of the silverish-gray hair that grows on their back once they become adults.  Male gorillas become adults at the age of 11 or 12.  If the gorilla dies of natural causes, he might live to be 50 years old.

For years, scientists have said that gorillas didn't climb trees because they were too heavy.  But when the studied the gorillas in the wild, even the adult gorillas were climbing the trees to find ripe fruit.

Koko--------