Do Gorillas Have Enemies? Gorilla Enemies

4 Days Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari

Yes gorillas have enemies; but they do not make enemies but rather enemies make them. Gorillas are very calm creatures and are almost harmless unless threatened.

One of the gorillas’ prime enemies is the leopard.

These rosette cats are known to attack the gorillas in their natural habitat and kill their young ones or kill some of the weak or sick members of the gorilla families.Gorilla families are sometimes enemies of each other.

Wild mountain gorilla families are known to attack smaller and weaker families and they hurt them or sometimes take their members as captives.But perhaps the biggest enemy of the gorillas is man. Man has not only poached the gorillas in the past but he has also contributed to destroying the gorillas’ habitats.

Additionally political instability which is characterized by gunfire has in the past forced gorillas to abandon their homes to find a more peaceful place.When they are attacked or if they feel endangered, the male mountain gorillas will standup to defend their families even if it means losing their lives in the process.

The silverback will normally stand between the attacker and his family, a sign that the enemy has to go through him in order to hurt his family.They are normally injured in the fight while the blackbacks or the younger silverbacks guide the other members to a safer hiding place. Sometimes the younger males join in the fight alongside their alpha so as to protect their family and territory.

Another tactic that a gorilla uses to tell its enemy to keep off its territory is by releasing a terrible stench using the glands which are under its armpits. Should the threat continue to approach, the alpha silverback will be forced to launch a limb-breaking attack.