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Gorillas are arboreal apes.

Martha M Robbins1, Rhianna C Drummond-Clarke2, Andrew M Robbins1

  • 1Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gorillas exhibit more arboreal behavior than previously thought, challenging assumptions about their terrestrial nature. This finding impacts our understanding of great ape evolution and ecomorphology.

Keywords:
African apearborealitybody sizeecomorphologyfrugivoryhominid

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Area of Science:

  • Primate Ecology
  • Paleoanthropology
  • Behavioral Biology

Background:

  • The arboreal niche's role in hominid evolution is debated.
  • Gorillas are widely perceived as primarily terrestrial, influencing evolutionary interpretations.
  • This perception is based on their size, diet, and studies of Virunga mountain gorillas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate arboreality in two distinct gorilla populations: Bwindi mountain gorillas and Loango western gorillas.
  • To challenge the assumption that gorilla arboreality is solely driven by frugivory and limited by body size.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of arboreal and terrestrial behaviors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
  • Observational study of arboreal and terrestrial behaviors in Loango National Park, Gabon.
  • Comparative analysis of arboreality across different gorilla populations (Bwindi, Loango, Virunga).

Main Results:

  • Bwindi and Loango gorillas display significantly higher arboreality (females 21-34%, males 18-19%) compared to Virunga gorillas (females 7%, males 2%).
  • Arboreality is not solely driven by fruit consumption; a substantial portion of fruit was consumed on the ground.
  • Adult gorillas in both studied populations spent most arboreal feeding time consuming non-fruit items like leaves (Bwindi: 63%, Loango: 70%).

Conclusions:

  • Gorillas are more arboreal than previously documented, indicating a need to revise existing perceptions.
  • Arboreality in gorillas is not strictly limited by large body size or solely dependent on fruit availability.
  • These findings have significant implications for understanding the ecomorphology and evolutionary history of extant and fossil great apes.