Gorillas in films and books and gorillas in reality.

Myth: Gorillas are bloodthirsty and violent

Fact: Gorillas are gentle and often timid. They are frequently fearful of new situations and prefer to leave an uncomfortable situation rather than engage in a fight.

Myth: Male gorillas are aggressive and dangerous.

Fact: While certainly able to defend themselves if threatened, male gorillas have been known to adopt young orphaned gorillas. They mediate aggression between female gorillas and are remarkably patient and tolerant with youngsters. Young gorillas use adult males like a playground, sliding down their backs, and even practice drumming sounds using Dad's back. Jambo, an adult male at the Jersey Zoo in the UK, protected a five-year-old human boy who fell into his enclosure.

Myth: Males beat their chests in anger

Fact: "Chest beating" can mean many things. It is a way to release emotional energy. It can be used to intimidate rivals or to impress potential mates. Modified chest beating is also used during play. Males don't pound their chests with their fists, instead, they cup their hands and make a "pok, pok, pok" sound by rhythmically drumming under their chest muscles.

Myth: Gorillas weigh 800 pounds

Fact: Gorillas are the largest of all the primates, but the size of adult males has been wildly exaggerated. Most adult males weigh between 350 to 450 pounds. Adult females are about half the size of adult males. Newborn gorillas usually weigh about 5 pounds.

Myth: Gorillas in captivity are brought from Africa

Fact: It has been illegal to capture wild great apes and bring them into captivity for more than 30 years. No responsible zoo or wildlife facility would participate in this practice.

Myth: Gorillas are plentiful in Africa

Fact: All gorillas are highly endangered and populations are declining at alarming rates. Extinction is possible for gorillas in the near future. Threats include habitat destruction from commercial logging, commercial hunting to support "bush meat" (some people eat gorilla meat), and conflict over land use with people.