How Gorillas Feed: A Simple Guide on How Mountain Gorillas Feed Themselves in the Jungle

Gorillas are fascinating creatures, and one of the most interesting things about them is how they feed. Understanding how gorillas feed gives us a glimpse into their daily lives and how they survive in the wild. In this blog, we’ll explore what gorillas eat, how they find their food, and how their eating habits help them stay strong and healthy.

What Do Gorillas Eat?

Gorillas are herbivores, which means they primarily eat plants. Their diet mainly consists of leaves, stems, roots, fruits, and flowers. Sometimes, they might eat small insects like ants or termites, but this is rare. The specific plants and fruits they eat depend on where they live. For example, mountain gorillas, which live in cooler, high-altitude regions, eat more leaves and stems because fruits are not as abundant. Understanding how gorillas feed helps us appreciate the variety in their diet and how they adapt to their environment.

How Do Gorillas Find Their Food?

Gorillas spend a lot of their day looking for food. They are known to travel several miles in search of the best leaves and fruits. Gorillas feed by moving from one feeding spot to another, rarely staying in one place for too long. They have a good memory, which helps them remember where the best food sources are. The silverback, the leader of the group, usually decides when and where the group will move to find food. By observing how gorillas feed, researchers have learned that these animals are very organized in their search for food.

How Much Do Gorillas Eat?

An adult male gorilla, known as a silverback, can eat up to 40 pounds of food in a day. That’s a lot of leaves and stems! Female gorillas and younger gorillas eat less, but they still need a lot of food to stay healthy. Since gorillas feed on plants that are low in calories, they need to eat large quantities to get enough energy. This is why they spend most of their day eating and foraging.

They are social animals, and they often feed together in groups. This group feeding helps them protect each other from predators. When gorillas feed, they are usually quiet and focused, using their strong hands to pull leaves and stems from plants. Sometimes, they share food, especially between mothers and their young. Observing how gorillas feed in groups also shows us how important family bonds are to them.

In the rainy season, when fruits are more abundant, gorillas eat more fruits and less foliage. During the dry season, they rely more on leaves, stems, and roots because fruits are harder to find. This seasonal change in diet is a key aspect of how gorillas feed, as it shows their ability to adapt to their surroundings.

The Importance of Feeding for Gorilla Health

Feeding is crucial for a gorilla’s health and well-being. This directly impacts their strength, energy levels, and ability to care for their young. A poor diet can make them weak and more susceptible to illness. Conservation efforts often focus on protecting the habitats where gorillas feed, ensuring they have enough food to thrive.

Understanding how these giants survive in the Jungle is essential to appreciating these magnificent animals. From what they eat to how they find and share their food, every aspect of their feeding habits plays a vital role in their survival. By learning about how gorillas feed, we can better understand their needs and work to protect their natural habitats.

Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast or just curious about these giants, knowing how they feed gives you a deeper insight into their daily lives and the challenges they face in the wild.

Thumbs up uganda wildlife authority.

The responsibility of protecting the animals found in Uganda’s game reserves and national parks rests with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Attempts by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to shift focus away from its core mission and into unrelated areas of operation have long drawn criticism, leading to disputes with the Uganda Tourism Board and, on occasion, the Association of Uganda Tour Operators.

Thank you from everyone here at Katland Safaris at the Uganda Wildlife Authority for all you’ve done to promote conservation and growth in the country’s tourist industry. While the early 2000s were not great, we have made great strides in the following areas.

Unlike Rwanda, which raised the price of gorilla permits in 2025, the Uganda Wildlife Authority kept them at the same level. It was widely anticipated that Uganda would follow Rwanda’s lead and increase the price of gorilla licenses from USD750 to USD1500.

However, the Uganda Wildlife Authority wisely decided to keep the price of gorilla permits in Uganda at USD800 for 2024 and 2025. As a result of this stability, more people are visiting Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. Because gorilla permits are so costly, Rwandan travel firms have started offering gorilla safaris in Uganda instead of Volcanoes National Park. Consequently, we applaud the Uganda Wildlife Authority and give it a thumbs up.

Finally, we must give props to the Uganda Wildlife Authority for making it possible for only Ugandan tour operators to purchase permits to observe gorillas and chimpanzees online. There was a lot of back and forth before this was put into action since UWA had suggested making permits available online for booking by anybody in the globe.

There was a lot of back and forth on this since safaris via Uganda travel providers would go bankrupt if tourists could just see, book, and pay for their gorilla permits. Only travel companies from Uganda will be able to browse and book gorilla permits online, according to a consensus.

In addition to showing you the availability of chimpanzee and gorilla licenses, the system also lets you temporarily book permits, generates an invoice with a reference number, and gives you seven days to pay. No longer are bookings made with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Only when we need to pay for or choose permits do we visit Uganda Wildlife. Kudos to the Uganda Wild Life Trust.

The movement of animals from one park to another is only one of many reasons why the Uganda Wildlife Authority deserves praise. Now that giraffes have arrived at Lake Mburo, this little national park is much more appealing and a good spot to spend the night before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We have seen a rise in the number of mountain gorilla births in the last two years, which has led to a dramatic increase in the overall population of the park’s fauna.

We must not overlook the newly restored and modernized cruise boats and game drive vehicles that assist visitors to the park who do not have access to automobiles when they go on game drives. Despite facing many detractors and obstacles, Katland Safaris applauds the Uganda Wildlife Authority for a job well done.