Keepers entering the gorilla enclosure at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio often hear a noise that sounds like a babbling human. But it’s just Mac, a western lowland gorilla. The ape greets his caregivers by making long, low grumbling sounds, gorilla-speak for “Hi, there!” When keepers exit the area in the evening, he makes a similar sound as if to say “Good night.”
Mac isn’t just making noise. Gorillas like him have things to say. And if you pick up a little gorilla language, you just might understand them.
“Apes are excellent communicators,” Columbus Zoo curator Audra Meinelt says. And sound isn’t the only way gorillas “talk.” They use movements and even body odor to get their point across. It’s no wonder experts think gorillas are among the…
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National Geographic Kids (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2025