Question 1

True or false: Gorillas are naturally aggressive and will attack humans on sight in the wild.

Accepted Answer

False. Gorillas are generally shy and gentle; they only display aggression as a bluff when threatened, rarely attacking without provocation.

Question 2

True or false: Gorillas are primarily carnivorous, hunting small animals for most of their diet.

Accepted Answer

False. Gorillas are mostly herbivorous, eating leaves, stems, fruits, and bark, though they may occasionally eat insects.

Question 3

True or false: Gorillas are the only great apes that do not build sleeping nests each night.

Accepted Answer

False. Gorillas build fresh sleeping nests from leaves and branches every night, both on the ground and in trees.

Question 4

True or false: Gorillas have unique nose prints, like human fingerprints, used for identification.

Accepted Answer

True. Each gorilla's nose has a distinct pattern of wrinkles and ridges, which researchers use to tell individuals apart in the wild.

Question 5

True or false: A silverback gorilla's back turns gray only after it becomes the dominant male of a group.

Accepted Answer

False. Silverbacks get their name from the gray hair on their backs that appears as they mature, typically around age 12, not just when they become dominant.

Question 6

True or false: Gorillas can catch and transmit human colds and flu viruses.

Accepted Answer

True. Gorillas share about 98% of human DNA and are susceptible to many human respiratory illnesses, which can be deadly to them.

Question 7

True or false: Gorillas are known to use tools in the wild, such as sticks to measure water depth.

Accepted Answer

True. Wild gorillas have been observed using sticks to test the depth of water before crossing, showing advanced problem-solving skills.

Question 8

True or false: Gorillas have been observed grieving and holding vigils for deceased group members.

Accepted Answer

True. Gorillas show complex emotional behaviors, including grooming and staying near dead companions, indicating grief similar to humans.

Gorilla Trivia Questions