Mountain gorillas are primates, sharing approximately 98% of their DNA with humans. Found in the high-altitude forests of East-Central Africa, a specific feature of their nose stands out, offering insights into their individuality and survival in their dense forest habitat.
Distinctive Nose Anatomy
Each mountain gorilla possesses a unique pattern of ridges and grooves on its nose, often called a “nose print.” These intricate patterns, located on the skin above their nostrils, are as individual as human fingerprints. The nose print remains consistent throughout a gorilla’s life, making it a reliable identifier. Prints vary, featuring single dots, deep folds, or shapes like wide, flat, or triangular noses.
The broad, flat design of a mountain gorilla’s nose complements its large skull and powerful jaws. This structure supports strong facial muscles for chewing tough vegetation, a large part of their diet. Wide nostrils facilitate efficient airflow during daily activities like climbing, foraging, or communicating.
Nose Prints for Identification
Mountain gorilla nose prints serve as a practical, non-invasive tool for identification and monitoring. Researchers and conservationists use these individual patterns to study and track gorilla populations. The method dates back to the 1950s with George Schaller and was later adopted by Dian Fossey. Fossey meticulously documented nose prints through drawings and photographs, a practice continued by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund today.
Conservation teams capture close-up photographs of gorilla noses to create identification records. This technique helps track individual gorillas, understand social structures, and monitor births, deaths, and group movements. Identifying individuals without direct intervention, like tagging, allows conservationists to assess population health and respond quickly if a gorilla is ill or missing. This precise tracking is fundamental for ongoing conservation efforts, especially given that mountain gorillas are an endangered species with a population of just over 1,000 individuals.
The Sense of Smell
Beyond unique patterns, a mountain gorilla’s nose also functions as a sensory organ for smell, or olfaction. While vision is a primary sense for great apes, their sense of smell plays an important role in navigating their environment and social interactions. Gorillas use their sense of smell to locate food sources, such as specific plants, and to assess their ripeness. This capability is helpful in dense forest vegetation where visibility can be limited.
Smell also aids mountain gorillas in detecting predators or rival groups. Silverback gorillas may use scent as communication, signaling their presence or emotional state. This chemical communication is important when visual cues are not possible. Gorillas can also recognize family members and assess the reproductive status of females through scent cues.