Gorilla and Humans




Gorillas are one of our closest relatives in animal world.Human gene sequences differ only 1.6% on average from the sequences of corresponding gorilla genes, but there is further difference in how many copies each gene has.Until recently, gorillas were considered to be a single species, with three subspecies: the western lowland gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla.There is now agreement that there are two species, each with two subspecies.More recently, a third subspecies has been claimed to exist in one of the species. The separate species and subspecies developed from a single type of gorilla during the Ice Age, when their forest habitats shrank and became isolated from each other. 

 Despite the chimpanzees being the closest extant relatives of humans, 15% of the human genome was found to be more like that of the gorilla.In addition, 30% of the gorilla genome "is closer to human or chimpanzee than the latter are to each other; this is rarer around coding genes, indicating pervasive selection throughout great ape evolution, and has functional consequences in gene expression. Moreover they have a very social behavior. They live in groups headed by a male leader(s).They are also seen to grieve over their dead relatives.They some of the complex emotions which can be compared to that of humans. They have some preliminary tool making ability. Bit due to their low reproductive capability they tend to become endangered.

 Conservation efforts by WWF, other organizations and governments are making a difference for gorillas. New protected areas are being designated for some gorilla populations, and the population of mountain gorillas has seen an increase in recent years.





Text courtesy-Wikipedia. 

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