gorilla vs Mute Swan

Gorilla gorilla compared with Cygnus olor

Key Differences

• gorilla is Critically Endangered while Mute Swan is Near Threatened.
• gorilla is 13.3x heavier than Mute Swan.
• gorilla lives longer (40 years vs 20 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	gorilla	Mute Swan
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Primates (Primates)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Hominidae (Great Apes)	Anatidae
Genus	Gorilla (Gorillas)	Cygnus
Species	Gorilla gorilla	Cygnus olor

Evolutionary Relationship

gorilla and Mute Swan share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

gorilla

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Mute Swan

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~600.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	gorilla	Mute Swan
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	40 years	20 years
Average Length	1.7 m	1.5 m
Average Weight	160.0 kg	12.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

gorilla

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Cameroon, Congo (Republic), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Mute Swan

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 8 distinct biome types.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (4 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Dominican Republic, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Colombia, Peru). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

gorilla

The world's largest primate, western gorillas weigh up to 180 kg and inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of equatorial Africa. Primarily herbivorous, living in family groups led by a silverback male who protects the troop and mediates social conflicts. Critically Endangered, with populations threatened by deforestation, poaching for bushmeat, and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease.

Mute Swan

The most commonly encountered swan globally and one of the largest flying birds, mute swans weigh up to 15 kg and inhabit lakes, rivers, and coastal bays across Europe and Asia, with widespread introduced populations in North America and Australia. Despite their name, mute swans produce a range of hissing, grunting, and wing-whistling sounds. Males aggressively defend territories and are capable of injuring humans and drowning dogs with powerful wing strikes.