CAN GORILLAS SWIM?

Many people wonder, can gorillas swim? The answer is no, gorillas cannot swim. like most great apes, they have a natural fear of deep water. Their large, muscular bodies make it difficult to stay afloat, which is why gorillas usually avoid rivers and lakes. However, gorillas are not completely afraid of water. In the wild, they often wade through shallow streams or splash around near riverbanks to cool off or play. In captivity, some have even learned to enjoy shallow pools under supervision. So, while gorillas don’t swim like humans or other animals, they do have their own unique ways of interacting with water — cautiously and curiously.

Gorillas are fascinating animals. Misinterpretation of their similarity to some human attributes should however make one think that gorillas can swim. The answer to the question is NO. They can’t swim. Naturally for humans, swimming turns out to be a thing. In other primates too, like chimpanzees, there’s been some element of swimming. But that’s not the case with the gorillas. They can rather cross in shallow waters, and sometimes shallow swamps while possibly crossing over to dry lands or searching for food.

What’s unseen, is them immersing their strong body into deep waters for a swim. Another surprising fact comes when they are met by rain. Most times, instead of running seeking for a hideout shelter, they just keep steadfast in one place and wait till the rains fade. Their thick skin and hairs fulfill the job of shedding the rain drops that find their way onto their bodies. In the presence of a cave or similar shelter, they seek it. What they don’t do, is finding largely spread leaves to act as an equivalent of a human’s umbrella. Those instincts however are common in primates like the bonobos.

Therefore, gorillas aren’t just born with a natural ability to swim. Regardless of some similarities to human beings, they barely have the required cognition to pull it off on their own. Coupled with their inabilities and weight, they’d drown.

However, there’s been some claims that some zoo gorillas can do so if taught. But that’s still a long shot. When they come across small streams, they first look out for some site of fallen logs covering the streams and cross from there. The wilderness doesn’t have them worrying much, after all they have plenty of trees on which to play and travel. In conclusion, it should be restated that gorillas can’t swim. In Uganda you can visit Bwindi Impenetrable NP and Mgahinga Gorilla NP for gorilla trekking.