Gorillas can move fast in short bursts, such as when a silverback charges, but no scientific study has measured a gorilla’s top speed. The often-repeated 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) is an estimate. Gorillas usually travel slowly on all fours by knuckle-walking, because their plant food does not need chasing.
how fast gorillas run quick facts
- No scientific study has measured a gorilla’s top running speed.
- Gorillas usually move on all fours by knuckle-walking.
- An adult male gorilla’s arm span is about 2.4 m.
- A silverback charges to scare threats away.
- Gorillas never use the same nest twice.
How fast can a gorilla run?
Gorillas can move surprisingly fast over short distances, especially when they charge. But nobody has measured a wild gorilla’s top speed in a proper scientific test, so there is no single, proven number.
You will often see a figure of about 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) repeated online. It is best to treat that as a rough estimate, not a fact. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and WWF, which all study gorillas closely, do not give a top running speed.
What experts do agree on is that gorillas are built for power and short bursts, not for long-distance running.
| Question | Best-supported answer | Take care |
|---|---|---|
| How do gorillas usually travel? | on all fours, by knuckle-walking | they can also stand and take a few steps on two legs |
| Can gorillas move fast? | yes, in short bursts such as a charge | a burst is not the same as a long run |
| Is 20 to 25 mph proven? | no, it is a common estimate | no scientific study has measured a top speed |
| Could you test it? | no | wild animals need space and must never be chased |
Why speed numbers vary
Measuring an animal’s top speed is much harder than it sounds. Wild gorillas do not run along a racetrack with someone holding a stopwatch at the finish line.
A gorilla running from danger, a silverback charging to scare off a rival and a young gorilla chasing a friend in play are all moving in different ways, and at different speeds.
The ground matters too. Gorillas live in thick forests full of tangled plants, mud, slopes and fallen trees. A gorilla’s age, size, health and how much it wants to hurry all change the result.
So when you read an exact-looking speed, it is worth asking where the number came from. If nobody actually timed a gorilla, the number is a guess, however precise it looks. Turning a guess from miles per hour into kilometres per hour does not make it any more certain.
How gorillas move
Gorillas usually walk on all fours. This is called knuckle-walking. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says gorillas use the backs of their fingers like extra feet.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo explains that when gorillas knuckle-walk, they rest their weight on the curled third and fourth fingers of each hand.
Gorillas can stand upright and walk a few steps on two legs, for example to look over tall plants or to beat their chests. But walking on all fours is the way they prefer to travel.
A gorilla’s arms are longer than its legs. The National Zoo says an adult male has an arm span of about 2.4 m (8 feet), and a female about 2 m (6.5 feet). Those long arms make travelling on all fours comfortable.
Big, heavy and powerful
Gorillas are the largest apes in the world. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says males grow up to 1.75 m (5.7 feet) tall and weigh 136 to 181 kg (300 to 400 pounds). Females are smaller, up to 1.5 m (5 feet) tall and 72 to 98 kg (159 to 216 pounds).
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says adult male western lowland gorillas weigh about 136 kg on average, and up to 227 kg (500 pounds).
All that muscle makes gorillas enormously strong. Heavy animals built for strength are usually better at short, powerful bursts than at running for a long time. Find out more in our how strong is a silverback gorilla guide.
Why gorillas do not need to run fast
Most of a gorilla’s day is spent eating, resting and moving slowly through the forest in search of food. Gorillas are herbivores. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says almost everything they eat is plant material, such as leaves, stems, fruit, seeds and roots, plus some ants and termites.
Leaves do not run away, so a gorilla never needs to chase its dinner. An adult male can eat up to 18 kg (40 pounds) of food a day, and gathering all that takes time, not speed.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says western lowland gorillas also eat the fruits of nearly a hundred kinds of tree, following the seasons as different trees ripen.
Adult gorillas have few natural enemies because they are so big and strong. For them, size and strength are better protection than speed.
The silverback’s charge
When a gorilla does move fast, it is often during a charge. Each troop is led by a strong, experienced adult male called a silverback, named after the silver hair on his back.
If he feels his troop is in danger, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says he beats his chest with cupped hands to make a loud noise, screams, bares his teeth and then charges forward.
A charge is usually a warning, meant to scare a threat away without a fight. It is short and very fast, and it is one of the most impressive sights in the animal world.
Can a human outrun a gorilla?
This is a question to answer with facts, never by testing it. Gorillas are powerful wild animals. Approaching one, or running at one, is dangerous for people and upsetting for the gorilla.
Even the fastest human sprinters can only keep up their top speed for a few seconds. Over a short dash, a charging gorilla would very likely beat most people.
In zoos and on wildlife trips, always follow the rules, keep your distance and stay calm. Never run towards, chase or challenge an animal.
How gorillas compare with other apes
Gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans are all great apes. Gorillas spend most of their time on the ground, while orangutans spend most of theirs up in the trees.
Chimpanzees knuckle-walk on the ground too. Orangutans move through the treetops by climbing and swinging, and they are much slower and clumsier on the ground.
Where gorillas live
Gorillas live in the forests of central Africa. There are two species, the western gorilla and the eastern gorilla. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance lists four subspecies: the western lowland gorilla, the Cross River gorilla, the mountain gorilla and Grauer’s gorilla.
WWF says western lowland gorillas are the most numerous and widespread. They live in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of Congo, and they share their rainforest home with many other animals.
Western lowland gorillas are a little smaller than other gorillas, with brown-grey coats and reddish chests, according to WWF.
Troop life
Gorillas live in groups called troops. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a troop can have 5 to 30 gorillas, led by a silverback. The National Zoo says western lowland gorilla troops are smaller, with about five members on average.
Every gorilla over three years old builds a nest of leaves, twigs and branches, both for a daytime rest and for sleeping at night. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says gorillas never use the same nest twice.
Gorillas talk to each other with sounds. Scientists have heard up to 22 different gorilla calls, and each one seems to have its own meaning.
Baby gorillas
A gorilla mother is pregnant for about 8 to 9 months. She usually has one baby, which weighs about 1.8 to 2.3 kg (4 to 5 pounds).
Babies stay close to their mothers until they are four to six years old. Young gorillas love to play, and play-chasing is one of the times you might see a gorilla move quickly.
In the wild, gorillas live for 30 to 40 years, and in zoos they may live into their 50s.
Gorillas in danger
Western gorillas are Critically Endangered. WWF says western lowland gorilla numbers have fallen by more than 60% over the last 20 to 25 years, because of poaching and disease.
The deadly Ebola virus has killed huge numbers of gorillas. Some scientists estimate it killed about a third of the world’s wild gorillas in the early 2000s. Only about 22% of western lowland gorillas live inside protected areas.
WWF says that even if every threat were removed, the population would need about 75 years to recover. Learn more about these amazing apes in our gorilla facts for kids.
Three things people get wrong
No one has proved an exact gorilla top speed. Figures like 20 to 25 mph are estimates.
Gorillas do not usually walk on two legs. They prefer to knuckle-walk on all fours.
Gorillas are not meat-eaters. They eat almost only plants, plus some ants and termites.
Did you know? When gorillas knuckle-walk, they rest their weight on the curled third and fourth fingers of each hand.
Try it
Write one sentence giving the common estimate of a gorilla’s speed, and a second sentence explaining why it is only an estimate. Good scientists share both.
Knowledge check
Why is 20 to 25 mph only an estimate for a gorilla’s speed?
Show answer
Nobody has measured a gorilla’s top speed in a proper scientific test.
How do gorillas usually travel?
Show answer
On all fours, by knuckle-walking.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can a gorilla run?
Gorillas can move fast in short bursts, but no scientific study has measured their top speed. The often-quoted 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) is an estimate, not a proven figure.
Can a human outrun a gorilla?
Over a short dash, a charging gorilla would very likely beat most people. This must never be tested, because gorillas are powerful wild animals that need space.
How do gorillas walk?
Gorillas usually walk on all fours by knuckle-walking, resting their weight on the curled fingers of their hands. They can stand and take a few steps on two legs.
Why do gorillas not need to run fast?
Gorillas eat plants, which do not run away, and adults have few natural enemies. They spend most of the day eating, resting and moving slowly through the forest.
How big is a silverback gorilla?
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says male gorillas grow up to 1.75 m tall and weigh 136 to 181 kg. The National Zoo says the biggest can reach 227 kg.
Why do gorillas charge?
A silverback charges when he feels his troop is threatened. He beats his chest, screams and bares his teeth, then rushes forward to scare the threat away.
Sources
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: western lowland gorilla — knuckle-walking, size, arm span, diet, troops, nests, calls, pregnancy, lifespan and status
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: gorilla — species and subspecies, size, knuckle-walking, troops, diet, nests, chest-beating charges, babies and lifespan
- WWF: western lowland gorilla — range, appearance, population decline, Ebola, protected areas and recovery time
