There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
10-31-2018, 08:41 PM( This post was last modified: 10-31-2018, 10:57 PM by Shadow )
(10-31-2018, 03:24 PM)brotherbear Wrote: As mentioned in the "Prehistoric Crocodile" topic, very little has been discussed about Pleistocene Africa. I am interested as to what predators, if any, that the gorilla had to contend with other than the leopard. Very curious.
There is maybe not yet enough information as it is mentioned in some research what comes to areas, where gorillas live. But every forest and jungle has treeline somewhere. Knowing, that there have been also in that time lions, some ancestors of lions and big cats on plain areas while not forgetting ancestors of hyenas etc. it is hard to think, that gorillas would have tried their luck too many times. In jungle they have had best protection by environment and enough everything they need.
It is one thing to defend against a solitary predator like leopard on day time. But thinking for instance a pride of lions where every member of pride is able to kill a gorilla, just not making sense that gorillas would have been stupid enough to make all the time suicidal trips in the middle of the biggest and deadliest predators of that era. They would have been simply just too slow to flee in environment like savannah and defending formations for sure would have broken in panic and changed to fleeing individuals making it easy for instance for lions to take down a few to be eaten.
And even though big cats are for sure best "equipped" to kill an animal like gorilla, as said there were others like ancestors of hyenas etc. I would be surprised if in future there would be found a lot of gorilla remains from pleistocene in same areas as lions etc. Most logical is to think, that they faced same foe then as today, leopard. And of course if there was some other big cat living at the time in jungle. But there really aren´t too many possibilities, that what gorilla would have faced at that time when staying in jungle.
Speculation of course, but when looking at known facts from today and past I think that what comes to gorillas, we can see today pretty much situation as it has been for quite long time. Gorilla just isn´t suitable to live in savannah, too easy prey there for predators. Baboons and chimpanzees are in trees in no time, imagine a group of gorillas fleeing to a lone tree in the middle of nowhere :) Even if they would manage to climb there, it would break and fall under their weight (please don´t take that last too seriously) :)
