Most people want to know if they can have a gorilla as a pet. Well, gorillas are big and strong creatures that love to climb trees. These animals have become more popular because of the movie King Kong. Gorillas are known to be gentle, peaceful, and friendly primates, and they share 98% of their DNA with human beings. However, if gorillas are peaceful and friendly animals, can gorillas be pets? Let us find out!
Can Gorillas be pets?
Even though gorillas are peaceful, friendly animals, and share 98% of our DNA, gorillas are not good pets. Gorillas are social animals and depend on their groups to survive. Isolating them will make them depressed and die early. Also, the reason why gorillas are not good pets is that they can still harm human beings.
Gorillas love to live with their fellow gorillas. Putting them inside a cage alone will make them depressed and sad, which can cause multiple illnesses. Also, it is not safe for a gorilla to live in a human house because they are big and strong.
Those reasons why gorillas are not good pets are just two reasons. There are other reasons why gorillas are not good pets, which we will discuss today! Let me try to convince you that gorillas are not good pets. So, if you are ready to learn more about gorillas and get convinced by me, let us proceed!
Are Gorillas Dangerous Animals?
So are gorillas dangerous? Broadly, the answer is no. Gorilla treks are led by trained guides and habituated gorilla families are used to being with humans, which makes the experience safe. Think of mountain gorillas as your relaxed, vegetarian ancestors who live in the jungle; not dangerous predators.
Gorillas are social animals and only become aggressive towards humans when they feel threatened. Although there have been close encounters between gorillas and humans over the past decades, very minimal of these incidents have led to the death of a human being.
Read More: Can Hyena Make a Good Pet?
Can Wild Animals Make A Good Pet?
Why Can’t You Own A Pet Gorilla?
Gorillas are friendly and peaceful creatures. and it seems a good idea to have a gorilla pet, However, even though they are friendly, they are not good pets. Like I have mentioned above, the reason why gorillas can’t be pets is that they might get depressed if they have been isolated and gorillas pet might hurt or kill people if they get angry.
However, there are other reasons why gorillas can’t be pets, which we will discuss right now! So, if you are ready, let us move on.
How Much Does A Gorilla pet Cost?
The other reason why gorillas can’t be pets is that gorillas cost a lot of money! So, how much does a gorilla pet cost? The selling price of a gorilla Pet is about $15,000 to $50,000.
Yes! The cost of a gorilla as a pet is expensive. But, how about their needs and the space you need for their shelter? The needs and lot that you need to buy for your pet gorilla are expensive! These animals are high-maintenance animals, which is why only zoos have gorillas.
How Strong Is A Gorilla?
Gorillas are very strong animals, which is one of the reasons why gorillas are not good pets. But, how strong is a gorilla? The strength of a gorilla is estimated to be about ten times their body weight. A gorilla can lift 3,000 to 4,000 on a bench press! Gorillas are very strong! They can lift a tree by themselves! If a gorilla punches you in the face, you only have an 80% chance to live.
How Big Is A Gorilla?
Gorillas are the largest of the primates.it is a tailless animal, Adult male gorillas are about 1.7m in body length and weigh about 170 kg. Adult female gorillas are about 1.5m in body length and weigh 72 kg. Yes! Gorillas are big creatures. That is why if you want to get a gorilla and make it a pet, you need a large cage. It is not a good idea to keep your pet gorilla inside your house. The price of the space that you might need is expensive.
Can Gorillas Hurt You?
Yes! Of course! Gorilla pet can hurt you! However, this does not happen often. Like I have said above, gorillas are gentle, friendly, and loving creatures. They don’t like violence! However, if they or their groups are threatened, gorillas will switch to unfriendly mode from friendly mode. If this happens, you must run for your life because gorillas can crush human beings.
A lot of people think that baby gorillas are cute. Yes! Baby gorillas are cute but when they grow up, they can be very dangerous and hurt you. There are some reports of gorilla attacks that are shown in the news.
Is It Illegal To Keep A Pet Gorilla?
Generally speaking, it is illegal to import, possess, or sell gorillas for use as pets. However, it is still possible to have one if you have a license. Getting a license to own a pet gorilla is hard. You have to pay a large amount of money and the time that you will put in to get approved. Also, even though you got a license, it is still not a good idea to get a pet gorilla.
Gorilla as a Pet Diet
Gorillas are vegetarian even though they are bigger than carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, pumas, and jaguars. So, what are the different things gorillas eat? These are the food gorillas love to put inside their mouth down their stomach:
- Stems
- Bamboos
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Insects
Are Gorillas Endangered Species?
Yes! Gorillas are endangered species. The main threat to gorillas is people and the associated increasing pressure on the gorilla’s habitat. Pollution, the destruction of the forest, and hunting are the main reasons why gorillas are endangered. Their population is decreasing because of these things.
Baby gorilla on black market for $40,000 is rescued
The black market for baby gorillas pet is growing, officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo said Tuesday, after a fourth incident this year led to the arrest of alleged poachers trying to sell one infant for $40,000.
This year marks “the highest number of baby gorillas confiscated from poachers in a single year on record,” the Congolese Wildlife Authority said in a statement.
“We are very concerned about a growing market for baby gorillas that is feeding a dangerous trafficking activity in rebel controlled areas,” said Emmanuel de Merode, warden of Congo’s Virunga National Park. “We are powerless to control the international trade in baby gorillas to have it as a pet, but our rangers are doing everything they can to stamp it out on the ground.”
The park, Africa’s oldest, is home to mountain gorillas, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants and buffalo. The park has also seen fighting inside its borders and nearby during an ongoing 12-year civil war.
The four rescues so far this year, which happened between April and last Thursday, follow the one to two a year saved since 2003, when accurate records were first kept, park spokeswoman LuAnne Cadd told msnbc.com.
“If four have been caught since April, the question is how many have been missed?” she asked. “How many more are being captured and sold?”
The latest rescue came when Virunga rangers, acting on a tip, posed as potential buyers of the infant, an eastern lowland gorilla that was hidden inside a small backpack. The three suspects, who wanted $40,000, were arrested once the undercover rangers had possession of the gorilla.
“Like all the infant gorillas we see immediately after confiscation, he was extremely tense and stressed, holding his legs and arms tight up against his body, and turning his head away when he got too frightened,” said Jan Ramer, a veterinarian with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinarian Project (MGVP) who treated the gorilla afterward.
Ranger Christian Shamavu, who headed the undercover operation, said that “it’s very likely that the mother and other gorillas were killed because it’s very difficult to take a baby gorilla from its family.”
De Merode said the selling price for infant gorillas can run from about $15,000 to $40,000.
Gorilla and Kitten
Gorillas are social animals and cant become aggressive towards Cat or even dogs, it’s all about raising the gorilla babe pet, and that can make a relationship between gorilla and cat.
Final Words
Gorillas are not good pets so don’t think of keeping one inside your house. The reason why gorillas are not good pets is that gorillas can be dangerous, the needs of gorillas are expensive, and gorillas can get depressed if they get separated from their group. The population of gorillas is decreasing. We must do something to save the species of gorillas.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44859150
https://animaldome.com/can-gorillas-be-pets/