[Alan McDougall (OP)]

How Strong Are Gorillas?

To date, no research has been conducted into how strong gorillas are compared to humans. Comparisons cannot be made very easily. Some people say that a silverback male is ten times stronger than a man while others claim a silverback is 27 times stronger. However, neither argument has been proved. A gorilla male probably looks much stronger than he actually is, as he doesn't have that much more muscle tissue than humans.

Or what do the experts think?

And how about he other great apes

Regards

Alan

[DoctorBeaver]

Orang-Utans are incredibly strong and they are much smaller than silverbacks. However, I appreciate that size isn't everything  [:I]

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

You might have a point, Chimps are said to be 7 times stronger than a human, adult male to adult male.

I find this hard to believe don't you?

Regards

Alan

[DoctorBeaver]

Having been hugged by a chimp, no I don't find it hard to believe!

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

As a little boy I used to drive my poor father around the bend with question like this

[Bored chemist]

"To date, no research has been conducted into how strong gorillas are compared to humans. "
Possibly, but they have done the test wih chimps.
From the Guinness book of records 1975
In 1924 "Boma" a 165Lbs male chimp at the Bronx zoo, New York, recorded a right handed pull (feet braced) of 847 Lbs on a dynamometer.(the comparison given is 210Lbs for a man of the same weight). On another occasion, "Suzette" registered a pull of 1260 Lbs  while in a rage (same zoo).

A record form the USA of a 100Lbs chimp achieving a dead lift of 600 Lbs with ease sugests that, with training, a Male gorilla could raise 1800 Lbs.

[DoctorBeaver]

I wouldn't arm wrestle 1

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Bored Chemist

From the Guinness book of records 1975
In 1924 "Boma" a 165Lbs male chimp at the Bronx zoo, New York, recorded a right handed pull (feet braced) of 847 Lbs on a dynamometer.(the comparison given is 210Lbs for a man of the same weight). On another occasion, "Suzette" registered a pull of 1260 Lbs  while in a rage (same zoo).

A record form the USA of a 100Lbs chimp achieving a dead lift of 600 Lbs with ease sugests that, with training, a Male gorilla could raise 1800 Lbs

Good grief as an ex bodybuilder come weight lifter, I find it hard to believe the 600 Lbs dead lift because apeS are not anatomically suited for this event  If the chimp lifted 600 Lbs makes its strength even more "out- of- the- park" than I realised.

Regards

Alan

[BenV]

Its worth bearing in mind that subtle differences in where muscles attach to bone will lead to very large differences in strength, so the same muscle mass could output much more power.

[DoctorBeaver]

I read that it's something to do with leverage; at least, where orang-utans are concerned.

Think about this - a male orang-utan weighs around 200lbs. They have no trouble swinging through trees and hanging by 1 hand. I doubt many 200lb men could manage it that easily.

[Make it Lady]

Yes, I guess they are designed to have the strength to swing in trees and they must do this every day. I wonder if a man swang from trees all the time if he could build his arm strength to be comparable.

That sickens me.

Put a bucket by your bed. I'm not even going to look on your recommendation.

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Doctor Beaver,

I makes me sick to the stomachjust like you. They murder , yes murder this huge majestic cousin of ours for as little reason as their huge beautiful hands, which are used by the rich as ash trays, by the rich.

"Residing in Africa makes in more disgusting to me".

These gentle plant eating giants have never killed even one human although they are pestered day and night by them.

There is a great deal that humanity could learn from looking at the beautiful societies of Gorillas, but maybe it is too late

Regards

Alan

[DoctorBeaver]

I've visited Mt Visoke in Rwanda where Diane Fossey (Gorillas In The Mist) worked but didn't see any gorillas as there are so few left now.

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

DoctorBeaver,

I've visited Mt Visoke in Rwanda where Diane Fossey (Gorillas In The Mist) worked but didn't see any gorillas as there are so few left now

I have a daughter living in nearby Tanzania, you would have noted that Rwanda is a country so beautiful that with the absence of humanity, would be as close to paradice in earth one could get


Regards

Alan

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Some nice photos of  gorrila

[DoctorBeaver]

DoctorBeaver,

I've visited Mt Visoke in Rwanda where Diane Fossey (Gorillas In The Mist) worked but didn't see any gorillas as there are so few left now

I have a daughter living in nearby Tanzania, you would have noted that Rwanda is a country so beautiful that with the absence of humanity, would be as close to paradice in earth one could get


Regards

Alan

Whereabouts in Tanzania? I've spent a lot of time there.

You're right about Rwanda. It's probably the most beautiful country I've ever visited.

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

DocBeaver, they stay in Dar es Salaam

Regards

Alan

[DoctorBeaver]

DocBeaver, they stay in Dar es Salaam

Regards

Alan

They have my sympathy. Although Dar is preferable to most large African cities.

I spent most of my time in Tanga & Arusha. I also took an "interesting" drive from Bujumbura in Burundi, south along the shore of Lake Tanganyika to Kigoma & Ujiji (Ujiji is where Stanley met up with Dr Livingstone). If you want to find the RS end of nowhere, Ujiji is the place to go!

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Thanks for info DOcB i will ask my daughter Cheryl if she nows about the places you mentioned and she finds Tanzania more pleasant than South Africa which is riddled with crime maybe the worst of any country

Regards

Alan

[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Doc Beaver and others maybe we can diverge into some other areas of interest

I have seen a video of a bull African Elephant killing a full grown white Rhino. He was very angry for some reason, pushed the poor rhino into a pool of deep water and drowned him

I have a special interest in hybrid animals and the huge 1000 Pound Liger twice the size of the largest other cat the Siberian tiger is really some worth seeing.

He is magnificent dont you think??