The Wonder of Gorillas

Local inhabitants are frightened of something that looks like a human, but is hairy and can be savage. It keeps to itself for the most part, but it is best to stay away from its turf.

Reports were made by reliable witnesses, but people tended to scoff at the idea that something with such a description that is unknown to science may exist; they have not seen it, so it is not real. Very scientific attitude, old son. However, not every bit of the surface of our blue marble has been explored.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Brocken Inaglory (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Although my title gave away what I was up to in the above paragraphs, it read like Sasquatch sightings and such. The first zoologist to see a live gorilla observed it in about 1847, and the mountain gorilla was not identified until 1902. So, these creatures are comparatively new in the annals of taxonomy.

Quick notes:

Gorillas have alarming incisors, but appearances with assumptions are often deceiving: they are primarily herbivorous.

The word itself has often been used to indicate strength and power (just ask the company that uses it for adhesives). A hailstorm in Texas produced stones so big, the term "gorilla hail" was coined.

If you manage to get one of these normally gentle animals angry, you will not outrun it. Nor will you defeat one at arm wrestling.

Dian Fossey studied gorillas intensively, and fought to preserve their habitat and protect them against poachers. Sadly, she was found murdered (presumably by poachers who were angry that she was cutting into their wicked money-making schemes). Her work has been continued. 

Darwin's disciples try to claim that they are genetically similar to humans, but that is not accurate. Also, they have difficulties finding the right place for gorillas to swing on the alleged human family tree. It has been claimed that they can learn sign language, but that assertion is fake news.

Some people may claim that if gorillas were created, they would be more different from humans than they are. Well, that is kind of like expecting God to reinvent the wheel. That is, to not use similar designs for each creature. Indeed, commonality easily argues for design. Consider as well that any genetic similarities still leave a huge gap between them and us. For that matter, there are genetic differences between people living today. The facts remain that gorillas are wonders of design and problematic for evolutionists.

Gorillas live in family groups, led most often by a single mature male, called a silverback after the distinctive patch of gray hair on its back. He will most often be the father of all the infant gorillas in the group. Baby gorillas are entirely dependent on their mothers. Female gorillas do not reach maturity until 7 to 8 years old, and males take even longer. They can reach an age of 50 years in captivity.

Gorillas are very social animals. When a poacher steals an infant gorilla, he often must kill or maim several adults defending the infant in the attempt, and the group will often disband afterwards. When a gorilla dies, the others in the group exhibit a mourning-like behaviour. It is unclear what the gorilla actually feels, but they undergo similar hormonal changes to humans in similar circumstances. However, they lack the brain capacity to understand in the abstract what has happened, as a person would.

You can read the entire article at "The majestic gorilla".