As far as I’m concerned, the gorilla is one of the worst animals in the kingdom of animals. They are big, smart and fierce. At the same time, they are understanding and compassionate at times.
They are one of the most human-like creatures in the world. Just because they don’t speak our language doesn’t mean they don’t understand what’s going on and that is what is so impressive about these animals. They have even been known to learn sign language, so they can communicate with humans.
All of the above are great reasons to have the gorilla labeled as your favorite animal. So, the person that has the gorilla as their favorite animal can get a t-shirt, maybe a costume, or do what most people do that I know and that is to get a gorilla tattoo. This is one of the best ways to show your love for the gorilla and potentially tap into some of the characteristics or power associated with the gorilla
In this post, we are going to talk about the gorilla and give you some cool facts to chew on. We will also talk about the symbolism associated with the gorilla and what it means to have a gorilla tattoo. Many times, the meaning of the gorilla tattoo will change based on who is wearing it, but we will talk about it either way. We will also discuss some variations of the gorilla tattoo and what it means to the people with it.
About the Gorilla
The gorilla is a ground-dwelling animal that largely feeds on plant life. They live in the forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. There are two species of gorilla. You have the western gorillas and the eastern gorillas, and both are endangered. Gorillas are the biggest living primates on the planet.
Another fascinating fact about the gorilla is their DNA is about 95% to 99% similar to that of a human. After the chimpanzee and bonobo, the gorilla is the closest living relative to mankind.
Even though the gorilla inhabits that small section of the Sub-Saharan forest in Africa, they are able to live in a wide variety of elevations. You have mountain gorillas that live in the cloud forests that range from 2,200 to 4,300 meters and the lowland gorillas that live in the lowland swamps and dense forests on sea level.
Other than knowing they are endangered, there is no count on the western lowland gorilla because of their remote living situation. The cross river gorilla is the closest to being extinct with no more than 300 of them living in the wild.
One of the reasons people love gorillas so much is because of their intelligence. If you lock eyes with a gorilla, you just know there is a lot going on in their mind. They are so close to us in DNA, that many feel there is a connection. Gorillas are able to communicate with us, use tools and make over 25 different sounds.
One of the most famous gorillas to exist was named Koko and was able to sign over 1,000 words while being able to understand around 2,000 words in the English language.
Not only are gorillas able to communicate with humans but they also communicate with their young by using ‘baby talk’. Scientists have studied these gorilla mothers and noticed them using very repetitive and tactile gestures toward their young.
Believe it or not, the gorilla builds nests to sleep in. This goes for the ground or up in a tree where they will use branches, leaves and other forest materials to build their sleeping area. It is one way that scientists can estimate the population.
Gorilla Tattoo Meaning
Because the gorilla can be a scary animal, people might associate the gorilla tattoo with only characteristics like power, ferocity and aggression. However, the gorilla is one of the more compassionate beings in the animal kingdom.
The gorilla is a very social being. You can tell this by watching their communications with other gorillas and their communication with humans in captivity. If you look in their eyes, you can see a deeper meaning and know there is much wisdom hiding behind those eyes.
In this way, they are very human-like and we connect with them. When looking for meaning in the gorilla tattoo, we can look past communication and go into other meanings like compassion, dignity, loyalty, accountability and leadership. If you notice them that the symbolism of the gorilla tattoo revolves around selflessness as opposed to individualism, then you would be right.
In addition, the gorilla tattoo represents wisdom and intelligence. The gorilla has a great deal of depth and is highly intelligent so when getting the gorilla tattoo, you might be able to tap into some of those traits.
Gorilla Tattoo Variations
Because the gorilla is such a unique and complex animal, you might see many variations of the gorilla tattoo. They might range from angry to happy and caring. Below are a few ways we’ve seen the gorilla tattoo and we wanted to mention them.
Fierce Gorilla Tattoo
We all know the gorilla can be a fierce animal and the fierce gorilla tattoo is a way of showing the raw power of the gorilla. As intelligent as they are, a gorilla can be extremely aggressive if provoked. You must respect the gorilla or take a chance of being hurt.
Calm Gorilla Tattoo
As aggressive as the gorillas can be, they are also considered to be thinkers. The tattoo of the gorilla in a calm state or thinking is a way to let someone know that you aren’t all just power and brawn. When the gorilla is depicted in this way, it symbolizes deep thought and a sense of peace.
Gorilla and Infant Tattoo
Gorillas are also very much connected to their young. You might find someone getting a tattoo of the gorilla with their young showing their connection to their own children. There is a strong bond between the mother gorilla and her young. She is caring and protective so if you are thinking of messing with her offspring, you might want to think again.