Monkey vs. Gorilla: Key Differences Explained

Using terms like monkey, great ape, monkey, primate and gorilla, which mean completely different things, it is difficult to keep track of what’s what. In this article, we’ll look at the key differences between other monkeys and gorillas.

There are so many levels of classification for different animals and different groups that it can become very difficult to understand. This article clarifies how primates, in particular gorillas, are classified. What does it mean to be a gorilla? What does it mean to be a monkey? Let’s figure it out!

What is a primate?

Primate – an animal belonging to the order Primates. This order includes all kinds of lemurs, loris, tarsiers, monkeys and monkeys, including humans and human ancestors. Some examples include ringed lemurs, bush cubs, chimpanzees, baboons, aye-aye, and hundreds of others. Thus, primates represent a very diverse population of related species.

Primates differ from mammals in several ways. Interestingly, they have larger brains compared to body size compared to other mammals. Most primates have thumbs opposed, and most primates have tails. Primates also rely more on their eyesight than other mammals, which rely more on their sense of smell. Compared to other mammals, primates are also incredibly complex socially and are considered one of the most social animals on the planet. They have a longer developmental period and, as a rule, a longer life span.

Monkey vs gorilla: what is a monkey?

Monkey is a term for a group of primates belonging to the superfamily. Hominoid which includes chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, gibbons, and humans. Within the superfamily Hominoid this is family Hominids which are colloquially known as great apes. Great apes include chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, and humans. Smaller monkeys, gibbons, belong to the family Hylobatidae…

Monkeys are very different from other primates. The most notable differences include size, tail presence, geography, and intelligence. Monkeys are much larger than monkeys; The largest monkey is a male gorilla weighing up to 500 pounds, while the largest monkey is a male mandrill weighing up to 119 pounds. Monkeys also lack tails, unlike most monkeys. Geographically, monkeys in the wild are mostly isolated from Africa and Asia, while monkeys inhabit Africa, Asia, Central America and South America. Monkeys are also some of the smartest animals in the world and have been extensively studied in matters of communication, problem solving, and tool use. More on the differences between monkeys and apes can be found here – Monkeys vs Monkeys: 5 Key Differences Explained.

Monkey vs gorilla: what is a gorilla?

Gorillas are the largest primates in the world and the largest apes in the world! They belong to the order Primates and family Hominids which means they are one of the great monkeys. This family has a family Gorilla includes two types: Gorilla gorilla (western gorillas) and Gorilla Beringey (oriental gorillas). Western gorillas are the most abundant gorilla species and are found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The western gorilla is classified as critically endangered and has a total population of just 316,000. Eastern gorillas include the eastern lowland gorilla and mountain gorilla. This species is also classified as endangered, with only 880 mountain gorillas and 3,800 eastern lowland gorillas still alive today. Eastern gorillas are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.

Monkey vs. Gorilla: Key Differences Explained

The main difference between apes and gorillas is that gorillas are a separate species of monkey.

Compared to other gorilla monkeys:

• Larger than other monkeys. They weigh about five times the size of a bonobos and more than twice the size of the largest orangutan. Male gorillas usually weigh 300 to 500 pounds, while females usually weigh 150 to 250 pounds.
• Close relatives to people, but not our closest relative. After chimpanzees and bonobos, gorillas are the next closest living creatures compared to humans!
• Opposite thumbs and no tail, as in other apes, including humans, but separate them from smaller apes such as gibbons.

Gorillas are also highly intelligent and sociable animals, capable of 25 different vocalizations. They usually live in a social system consisting of one dominant male and several females with their dependent offspring. In the wild, gorillas have been documented to use tools such as sticks and rocks to access food.

How are gorillas doing today?

Both western gorillas and eastern gorillas are classified as endangered. This classification means that the species is in immediate danger and on the verge of extinction. Habitat destruction, hunting and disease threaten gorillas the most. Gorilla poaching is common in the African bushmeat trade, despite legislation. The Gorilla Agreement is a law prohibiting the hunting and trade of gorillas that was enacted in 2008. However, the countries where gorillas live cannot effectively enforce these laws, leaving gorillas still vulnerable to hunting. Poachers, traders and gorilla meat consumers continue to profit from hunting these endangered animals.

Gorillas are also at risk of human disease because of how closely related they are to humans. An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2004 killed several hundred gorillas in Ozala National Park. According to a 2006 study, around 5,000 gorillas have been killed by the Ebola virus in Central Africa.

Efforts to counter the decline in gorilla populations include captive breeding projects, environmental monitoring and attempts at legal action. Conservation efforts in zoos have successfully bred some 4,000 western gorillas. In addition, the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), founded in 2001, aims to conserve non-human apes, including gorillas. GRASP pays special attention to preserving the natural habitat of great apes and takes measures to counteract habitat destruction.