Silverback Gorilla Prey: Understanding their diet & predator

Q: Conservation: Are Silverback Gorillas Endangered?

Yes. Mountain gorillas are classified as Endangered, with only about 1,063 left in the wild, according to the last full census. Nearly half of them live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the neighbouring Sarambwe Reserve, and the rest live in the Virunga Volcanoes shared by Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo. Their numbers are slowly rising thanks to: Protected areas.National parks such as Bwindi and Mgahinga protect their habitat. Anti-poaching patrols.Rangers remove snares and track every habituated family. Gorilla tourism.Gorilla permit fees fund conservation and share income with local communities. Every gorilla permit you buy helps protect silverbacks. See how much a gorilla permit costs in Uganda and the revised Uganda gorilla permit costs.

Silverback Gorilla Prey: Silverback gorillas do not hunt prey. They are mainly herbivores that eat leaves, stems, shoots, bark and fruit, plus a small amount of ants and termites.

Adult silverbacks have almost no natural predators. Leopards occasionally kill young or lone gorillas, but humans are by far the biggest threat, through poaching, snares, habitat loss and disease.

A fully grown silverback weighs about 140–200 kg (300–440 lb) and eats up to 30 kg of vegetation a day. That size and strength, together with his role as protector of the family, makes him one of the safest animals in the African forest.

This guide explains what silverback gorillas eat and what preys on them. It also covers how they protect their troop and the best place to see them in the wild, in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

What Is a Silverback Gorilla?

A silverback is an adult male gorilla, usually over 12 years old, named after the band of silver-grey hair that grows across his back as he matures. He is the leader of his family group, called a troop, which may include several females, juveniles and infants. The silverback decides where the group feeds and sleeps, settles disputes and defends the family from danger.

Learn more in our facts about mountain gorillas and silverback gorilla lifespan guides.

What Do Silverback Gorillas Eat?

Silverback gorillas eat a plant-based diet. Mountain gorillas feed on more than 140 plant species, choosing different foods by season.

Food	Share of diet	Why it matters
Leaves, stems and shoots	The main food	Wild celery, thistles, nettles and bamboo shoots provide most of their energy
Pith and bark	Regular	Chewed from trees and plants, especially when other food is scarce
Roots	Occasional	Dug up for nutrients and moisture
Fruit	Seasonal	Eaten when ripe, more often by lowland gorillas than mountain gorillas
Ants, termites and grubs	Very small	An extra source of protein

Because their food is low in calories, silverbacks spend about half of each day feeding and resting between meals. Gorillas get almost all the water they need from the moist plants they eat. Read where do gorillas get protein and what do baby gorillas eat.

Do Silverback Gorillas Hunt Prey?

No. Silverback gorillas do not hunt or kill animals for food. Eating ants and termites is opportunistic foraging, not hunting. Gorillas are very different from chimpanzees here, as chimps do hunt monkeys and other small animals. Read do chimpanzees eat meat.

Silverbacks do have large canine teeth, but they use them for display and for fighting rival males, not for catching prey. Their massive jaw muscles exist to grind tough stems and bark.

Gorillas are also intelligent foragers. Western lowland gorillas have been seen using sticks to test water depth, and mountain gorillas carefully fold nettles to avoid being stung while eating them.

What Preys on Silverback Gorillas?

A healthy adult silverback has no regular natural predator. The real dangers come from a few animals that target the young, and above all from people.

1. Leopards

The leopard is the only natural predator known to kill gorillas, and attacks are rare. Leopards target infants, juveniles or gorillas that are sick or alone, rarely a full-grown silverback. When a leopard comes near, the silverback charges, roars and places himself between the threat and his family.

2. Humans: The Greatest Threat

People are by far the biggest danger to silverback gorillas.

Poaching and snares.Gorillas are hunted for bushmeat in some regions, and many are injured or killed by wire snares set for antelope.
Habitat loss.Farming, logging and settlements have shrunk the forests where gorillas live.
Illegal wildlife trade.Infants are sometimes captured for the pet trade, often after the adults defending them are killed.
Human disease.Gorillas share about 98% of our DNA and can catch human illnesses, such as colds and flu, which can kill them.

Read about Uganda Wildlife Authority’s fight against poaching and our list of endangered animals.

3. Rival Silverbacks

Another danger to a silverback’s family comes from other gorillas. Rival males may fight a silverback for control of a troop, and a new leader sometimes kills infants fathered by the previous male. This is one reason a silverback guards his group so closely.

Lions and hyenas are not a threat to mountain gorillas, because they do not live in the high, dense montane forests where gorillas are found.

How Silverbacks Protect Their Troop

The silverback is the family’s bodyguard. When danger appears, he uses a clear set of defences:

Chest-beating and roaring.Loud displays warn off intruders and show his strength.
Bluff charges.He rushes at a threat, usually stopping short, to scare it away.
He stands between the danger and the females and young.
Leading the group to safety.He decides when and where the troop moves.

Gorilla trekkers learn to respect these signals. If a silverback charges, guides tell you to stay still, look down and crouch. Read how to show submission to a gorilla and how fast a silverback gorilla can run.

Why Silverback Gorillas Matter to the Forest

Silverbacks and their troops help keep their forest healthy.

Seed dispersal.Gorillas spread seeds in their dung as they move, helping new trees grow.
Opening the forest.Feeding and trampling clear space for new plants and light.
Fertilising the soil.Their dung returns nutrients to the forest floor.

Protecting gorillas also protects the many other species that share their forest home.

Conservation: Are Silverback Gorillas Endangered?

Yes. Mountain gorillas are classified as Endangered, with only about 1,063 left in the wild, according to the last full census. Nearly half of them live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the neighbouring Sarambwe Reserve, and the rest live in the Virunga Volcanoes shared by Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo.

Their numbers are slowly rising thanks to:

Protected areas.National parks such as Bwindi and Mgahinga protect their habitat.
Anti-poaching patrols.Rangers remove snares and track every habituated family.
Gorilla tourism.Gorilla permit fees fund conservation and share income with local communities.

Every gorilla permit you buy helps protect silverbacks. See how much a gorilla permit costs in Uganda and the revised Uganda gorilla permit costs.

Fascinating Facts About Silverback Gorillas

Weight:An adult silverback weighs about 140–200 kg (300–440 lb), roughly twice the size of an adult female. Read about the biggest silverback gorilla ever recorded.
Strength:A silverback is estimated to be several times stronger than an adult man.
Lifespan:Silverbacks live about 35–40 years in the wild.
Communication:Gorillas use more than 20 distinct calls, plus gestures and facial expressions.
Scent:Silverbacks release a strong odour when excited or stressed. Read about silverback gorilla odor.
Family life:A silverback can lead a troop for many years. Read how silverback gorillas attract their mates.

Where to See Silverback Gorillas in the Wild

The best place to see silverback gorillas is Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to more habituated gorilla families than anywhere else.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the DR Congo’s Virunga National Park are the other main options. On a gorilla trek, you spend one full hour watching a silverback and his family feed, play and rest.

Plan your trip with our guides:

FAQs: Silverback Gorilla Prey and Predators

What do silverback gorillas eat? Mainly leaves, stems, shoots, bark, roots and fruit, plus a few ants and termites. A silverback eats up to 30 kg of vegetation a day.

Do silverback gorillas eat meat? No. Apart from small amounts of insects, gorillas do not eat meat and never hunt other animals.

What animal can kill a silverback gorilla? Only a leopard is known to kill gorillas in the wild, and it rarely attacks a healthy adult silverback. Humans are the greatest threat.

Can a lion kill a gorilla? Lions and gorillas do not share the same habitat, so they almost never meet. Mountain gorillas live in high forests where lions are not found.

How does a silverback protect his family? By chest-beating, roaring, bluff charging and standing between his family and danger.

How many mountain gorillas are left? About 1,063 in the wild, nearly half of them in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the neighbouring Sarambwe Reserve.

Conclusion: Silverbacks Are Protectors, Not Hunters

Silverback gorillas do not have prey. They are gentle plant-eaters that spend their days feeding, resting and guarding their families. Leopards pose a small risk to young gorillas, but humans remain the greatest threat to their survival.

Thanks to conservation and responsible gorilla tourism, mountain gorilla numbers are rising. Seeing a silverback in the wild is one of the most moving wildlife experiences on Earth.

Ready to meet a silverback? Book your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda with Uganda Wildlife Tours, and we will arrange your permit, transport and lodging in Bwindi. Find out where to buy Uganda gorilla permits and secure yours early, before they sell out.

Silverback Gorilla Prey: Understanding their diet &amp; predator