Gorillas are among the most intriguing animals, prompting questions about their cognitive abilities. Animal intelligence can be understood as the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. Gorillas exhibit problem-solving skills, sophisticated communication, and intricate social behaviors that underscore their intelligence. Sharing a high percentage of their DNA with humans, typically between 96% and 99%, these capacities allow them to adapt to their environments and navigate social dynamics.
Advanced Communication
Gorillas communicate through vocalizations, body language, and facial expressions. They use distinct sounds like grunts, hoots, roars, barks, cries, chuckles, purrs, and belches. For instance, grunts often signal positive expressions, especially when food is present, while roars and barks can serve as defensive warnings or assertions of dominance from a silverback. These vocalizations are crucial for group coordination, expressing satisfaction, distress, or guiding troop movement.
Some gorillas have demonstrated the ability to learn symbolic communication systems. Koko, a well-known western lowland gorilla, learned over 1,000 signs in American Sign Language (ASL) and understood approximately 2,000 spoken English words. Another gorilla, Michael, also acquired ASL. These instances illustrate a cognitive processing ability that transcends instinctual calls, allowing for two-way communication and the expression of complex thoughts and emotions, including combining signs to create new meanings.
Problem Solving and Tool Use
Gorillas exhibit practical intelligence in navigating their environment and overcoming challenges. In captive settings, they have been observed solving complex puzzles to access food and manipulating objects, such as unlocking gates, to achieve a desired outcome. These behaviors indicate foresight and an understanding of cause and effect.
In the wild, documented cases of spontaneous tool use, though less frequent than in some other ape species, demonstrate their problem-solving capabilities. Researchers observed a western lowland gorilla using a meter-long stick to test water depth before wading into a swampy pool, a behavior mirroring human caution. Another instance involved a gorilla using a detached tree trunk for support while foraging and then as a bridge to cross difficult terrain. A juvenile gorilla was also seen using a stick to extract ants from a hole, and a female mountain gorilla utilized a bamboo stem as a “ladder” to help her offspring reach vegetation. These observations suggest gorillas can invent and use tools when faced with specific environmental demands.
Social and Emotional Intelligence
Gorillas live in complex social structures, typically in tight-knit family groups led by a dominant silverback male. Their social dynamics involve hierarchies, alliances, and caregiving behaviors, such as the adoption of orphaned young. This indicates a sophisticated understanding of relationships and group cohesion.
Gorillas possess a range of emotions, including joy, sadness, grief, and love. They exhibit empathy, showing concern for injured group members by offering comfort and support. Documented cases even show gorillas reacting with concern to injured humans, gently touching them or staying nearby. While initial mirror self-recognition (MSR) tests had mixed results, later studies with gorillas acclimated to human interaction showed them examining their teeth or making faces in a mirror. A body-awareness test, where gorillas had to understand their own body was an obstacle to opening a box, showed them performing as well as chimpanzees, indicating self-awareness.
Learning and Memory
Gorillas acquire new knowledge and retain information over time. They are capable of observational learning, where younger gorillas learn essential skills, such as foraging techniques, by watching adults. For example, specific methods of processing stinging nettles for consumption vary across gorilla populations, indicating these techniques are socially transmitted. This ability to copy and adapt behaviors highlights their cognitive flexibility.
Their memory capabilities aid in daily survival. Gorillas possess good spatial memory, enabling them to recall food source locations and navigate their expansive home ranges efficiently. Studies have shown adult gorillas accurately remembering food sites over delays of 24 hours or more. They can also remember specific tasks and recognize individual humans and other animals over extended periods, illustrating a robust long-term memory that contributes to their intelligence and adaptability.