western lowland gorilla

[wes-tern loh-luhnd guh-ril-uh]

noun

1. a black, primarily herbivorous, nonterritorial gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla ), a subspecies of the western gorilla and the smallest of all gorilla subspecies, living in a variety of central African habitats, especially the swamp forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo: listed as critically endangered, it is the only gorilla subspecies to live and breed in zoos.

Word History and Origins

Origin of western lowland gorilla¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Zoo officials said in a statement that Denny, a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla, broke one of the three layers of tempered glass separating guests from the gorilla habitat on Saturday.

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Guy, a western lowland gorilla, received hundreds of birthday cards every year.

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Winston, a beloved 52-year-old western lowland gorilla and one of the oldest silverbacks in the world, died Saturday at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, officials announced.

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A critically endangered western lowland gorilla has been born at London Zoo.

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Zoo keeper Simon Beasley said the western lowland gorilla still has a lot of character despite her age.

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