Gorille de l'Ouest vs koala

Gorilla gorilla compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• Gorille de l'Ouest is Critically Endangered while koala is Vulnerable.
• Gorille de l'Ouest is 16.0x heavier than koala.
• Gorille de l'Ouest lives longer (40 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gorille de l'Ouest	koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (mammifères)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Primates (Primates)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Hominidae (Great Apes)	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Gorilla (Gorillas)	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Gorilla gorilla	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

Gorille de l'Ouest and koala share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mammifères)

Conservation Status

Gorille de l'Ouest

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gorille de l'Ouest	koala
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	40 years	15 years
Average Length	1.7 m	75 cm
Average Weight	160.0 kg	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gorille de l'Ouest

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.

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gorille de l'Ouest

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.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.