Adopted+Animals+from+the+WWF

The following was originally published November 23, 2008 at http://damroschlibrary.blogspot.com/2008/11/damrosch-lbrary-adopts-gorilla-from.html Miss Patricia loves animals and when she was in college she studied primatology, the study of monkeys and apes. Gorillas are our biological cousins and they share 97% of our DNA. Unfortunately, gorillas are an endangered animal which means that there are very few gorillas left in the world. By adopting one gorilla, we hope we can help these creatures.

Western lowland gorillas inhabit the vast tropical and subtropical forests of Central Africa. Gorillas are herbivorous, feeding on fruit, shoots, bulbs, leaves and occasionally tree bark. They live in family groups that are led by one dominant male, called the silverback because of the silver hair that runs down his back. With threats such as poaching, habitat loss and disease, WWF is supporting protected areas and other conservation programs across the lowland gorilla’s range to ensure that no population is neglected.

When the library opens, we will read books about gorillas to learn more about them.