Question 1

True or false: Cross River gorillas share over 98% of their DNA with humans, like all great apes.

Accepted Answer

True. All gorilla species share about 98.3% DNA with humans; Cross River gorillas are no exception.

Question 2

True or false: Fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas are estimated to remain in the wild, making them the rarest great ape.

Accepted Answer

True. The Cross River gorilla population is estimated at fewer than 300 individuals, making them the rarest great ape.

Question 3

True or false: Cross River gorillas have a distinctive reddish-brown patch of fur on their heads.

Accepted Answer

False. They have black fur like other western gorillas; the reddish crown is a myth often confused with the related Grauer’s gorilla.

Question 4

True or false: Cross River gorillas are the smallest subspecies of gorilla in terms of body weight.

Accepted Answer

False. Western lowland gorillas are actually the smallest; Cross River gorillas are similar in size but not the smallest.

Question 5

True or false: Cross River gorillas live at higher elevations than any other gorilla subspecies.

Accepted Answer

False. Mountain gorillas live at elevations up to 4,000 meters, much higher than the Cross River gorilla's range of up to 2,000 meters.

Question 6

True or false: Cross River gorillas move between forest patches to adapt to seasonal changes in food availability.

Accepted Answer

True. Due to habitat fragmentation, they utilize multiple forest patches, shifting their range with fruiting seasons to find enough food, critical for their survival.

Question 7

True or false: Cross River gorillas have been filmed using leaves to create makeshift umbrellas in the rain.

Accepted Answer

False. This behavior has never been recorded for Cross River gorillas; it is occasionally seen in captive western lowland gorillas.

Question 8

True or false: Cross River gorillas have been observed using tools to crack nuts in the wild.

Accepted Answer

False. While some great apes use tools, no wild Cross River gorilla has ever been documented using tools for nut cracking.

Cross River Gorilla Trivia Questions