Despite their behemoth size, gorillas surprisingly share about 98% of our DNA. Not so unexpected if we consider other apes. In fact, our closest relatives are chimpanzees, with whom we share about 99% of our DNA. Aside from genetics, apes' opposable thumbs are another notable feature they share with us.
Do you want to know more about these giants? Then, discover the wonders of these fantastic apes as you read our curated gorilla quotes.
Related: Gorillas are beautiful, of course! For more interesting collections from the animal kingdom, check out some of our world's more ugly animals and read up on some monkey facts and explore the different types of monkeys, for more primate info.
Quick links to our selection of gorilla quotes:
The media has sometimes portrayed gorillas as scary when, in reality, they are gentle giants. They'll continue their activities when we approach them as long as we don't provoke them. When a gorilla comes to us, we should be calm and give them distance. Even if their presence is intimidating, let's continue to respect them.
Here are some best gorilla quotes talking about their reputation.
"It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired - you quit when the gorilla is tired."
"I had never planned to become a savanna baboon when I grew up; instead, I had always assumed I would become a mountain gorilla."
One excellent example of groundbreaking research in animal science history is Dr. Dian Fossey's lifelong study of mountain gorillas' behavior. Aside from studying the creatures, she also saved the species from extinction.
After reading the following science quotes from Dr. Fossey, visit this site and learn more about her advocacy.
"My study of the wild gorilla is not yet finished, and even when it is complete, it will contribute only a small part toward man's understanding of his closest animal relatives, the great apes. But one conclusion is already clear: The gorilla is one of the most maligned animals in the world."
"I feel more comfortable with gorillas than people. I can anticipate what a gorilla is going to do, and they're purely motivated."
"Gorillas are almost altruistic in nature."
"The more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people."
"The mountain gorilla faces grave danger of extinction - primarily because of the encroachments of native man upon its habitat - and neglect by civilized man, who does not conscientiously protect even the limited areas now allotted for the gorilla's survival."
Gorillas' diet is primarily vegetarian, with occasional insects and snails. They spend half of their day just eating to maintain their stocky build. They rarely need to drink because the water from the vegetation they consume is enough. So as you read these quotes, consider how we can do our best to preserve the great apes' plant-rich habitat as much as possible.
"Gorillas are still wild creatures. That's made very clear when you observe them in nature. They charge and perform other displays that are terrifying by design. But they don't attack unless they feel threatened."
"I watched the gorilla's eyes again, wise and knowing eyes, and wondered about this business of trying to teach apes language. Our language. Why? There are many members of our own species who live in and with the forest and know it and understand it. We don't listen to them. What is there to suggest we would listen to anything an ape could tell us? Or that it would be able to tell us of its life in a language that hasn't been born of that life? I thought, maybe it is not that they have yet to gain a language, it is that we have lost one."
"I think what's going on with gorillas is pretty bad. The fact is that you can buy gorilla meat in London any day you want it."
"Chimpanzees, more than any other living creature, have helped us to understand that there is no sharp line between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. It’s a very blurry line, and it’s getting more blurry all the time."
"The gorillas are not yet sufficiently advanced in evolutionary terms to have discovered the benefits of passports, currency-declaration forms, and official bribery, and therefore tend to wander backward and forward across the border as and when their beastly, primitive whim takes them."
We can't deny that climate change affects the population of all wild animals, including gorillas. The gorilla in the room affects the animal's food supply, natural habitats, and many more.
We should all continue to shed light on this global issue for the sake of everybody, including the animals. Continue reading the following quotes describing issues that need more attention.
"When it comes to global warming, coal is the gorilla in the room."
"Climate change is the 800-pound gorilla in the living room that the media dances around. But in the scientific community, it's a settled question: 95 percent of scientists believe this is happening with 100 percent confidence temperatures are rising."
"What is missing from today's dialogue is the effect autism is having on families, our society and what the unknown factors are. The 300lb. gorilla in the room is that our children with autism today will soon become adults with autism."
"To be clear, climate change is a true 800 pound gorilla in the room. The effects of global warming threaten global environmental upheaval over the coming century. But for South Florida and the Everglades, it could be our death knell if urgent action is not taken."
Gorillas are the largest of the primates. Silverbacks, the adult male gorillas, can stand up to 6 feet long and weigh up to 430 pounds. Like other social animals, the dominant gorilla males are in charge of protecting the troop. They may be gentle giants but never touch their family!
Here are some quotes from people who compared themselves to the majestic creatures.
"It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila."
"The panther is sleek. The panther is sneaky. The panther is covert. Meanwhile, the gorilla will show up and bang on his chest and make noises to warn you about what is about to happen if you continue to cross the line."
"I look like a gorilla, just the way I'm built."
"Gorillas remind me of my father. He was a very big, physically strong man but also very sensitive."
Massive creatures like gorillas are often mistaken for being airheads. On the contrary, gorillas are clever! In fact, a female western gorilla named Koko learned over 1,000 signs and 2,000 English words. As you read the following quotes, remember how intelligent gorillas could be! And for more from the animal kingdom, click on to our article about the strongest animals in the world.
"I don't know if any genuine, meaningful change could ever result from a song. It's kind of like throwing peanuts at a gorilla."
"Watching your daughter being collected by her date feels like handing over a million dollar Stradivarius to a gorilla."
"Certain gorillas are more evolved than certain human beings I know"
"A gorilla with a cellphone riding a bicycle is bound to generate some clever captions."
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