How Fast Can Gorilla Run?
Gorillas are ground-dwelling, herbivorous primates that are native to equatorial Africa. They are separated into two species and four or five subspecies. Depending on their habitat, they can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. Gorillas have a high rate of metabolic activity, which explains why they can run so fast.
Despite their fast running speed, gorillas can be aggressive when threatened. Their violent behavior usually occurs during territorial disputes between alpha males. The animals can cause severe injuries if provoked. In fact, gorillas have been known to kill humans. However, it is not known if gorillas are deliberately trying to harm people. It is estimated that it would take a single male gorilla to run as fast as five hundred unarmed humans.
The largest captive gorilla weighed 860 pounds. By comparison, the largest tiger weighed 932 pounds. Although the gorilla is slightly larger, the tiger is much more powerful. Nonetheless, gorillas are still able to run 25 miles per hour, whereas tigers can run 40 miles per hour and leap 20 feet.
A human’s top speed in a non-life-or-death situation is 28 mph, while a gorilla’s top speed is 25 miles per hour. While this difference between human and gorilla speed is small, the gorilla’s speed increases dramatically under the flight-or-fight mechanism. The flight-or-fight response pumps adrenaline into the body as much as it can. It is therefore likely that gorillas can outrun even the fastest sprinters.
A silverback gorilla can lift 815 kilograms, which is enough to lift 20 adult humans. In addition to their speed, they can also strike, pound, and pull clothing and speak loudly. The average human can lift about 400 kilograms. These feats will be difficult to match.
While the gorilla’s speed is not as fast as a greyhound or a cheetah, it is still impressive to think that this ape can beat us in a tense situation. Moreover, a silverback gorilla’s punch can shatter a human skull with a force of up to 1300-2700 pounds.
While King Kong stands 400 feet tall in his latest film appearance, most apes do not grow that high. In fact, lowland gorillas weigh about 180 kilograms, while mountain gorillas weigh about 220 kilograms. As herbivores, their size and strength are intimidating.
Gorillas are highly intelligent animals and have high physical strength. Their hands and feet are similar to humans and have big toes and thumbs. They are very capable of grasping objects and climbing trees with ease. While their bodies may not be as strong or fast as the human, they have great mental and emotional capacity and ability to communicate with other primates.
A gorilla can reach speeds of up to 20 mph. In comparison, a grizzly can reach up to 35 mph. Despite the size and strength, gorillas aren’t strong enough to counter a grizzly with a 3-inch knife. With this strength, gorillas have been known to break banana trees and even make them into kindling for fire.
