Western lowland gorilla

subspecies of ape

The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is one of two subspecies of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) that lives in rain forests in Central Africa in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

A picture of a western lowland gorilla.
Western lowland gorilla in captivity.

Western lowland gorillas are intelligent, and understand simple sign language. Koko was a famous western lowland gorilla who communicated in sign language.[1]

The western lowland gorilla is the only subspecies kept in zoos, except for one female eastern lowland gorilla named Amahoro who lives at the Antwerp Zoo and a few Mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2]

References

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  1. Patterson, Francine (1981). The Education of Koko. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 9780030461019.
  2. Prince-Hughes, Dawn (1987). Songs of the Gorilla Nation. Harmony. p. 66. ISBN 1-4000-5058-8.