Rather than fearsome aggressive creatures as cinema has depicted, gorillas are shy vegetarians. They prefer to spend their time quietly and relaxed, leisurely searching for food or peacefully resting under the warm African sun. Although they are the largest and most powerful of the apes, they only show hostility if endangered or annoyed by standing up and beating their fists against their chest to ward off intruders. Illegal hunting and civilizations endanger gorilla populations.
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