It is very wrong to make eye contact with gorillas. Don’t make eye contact with Silverback gorillas.

So why shouldn’t you look a gorilla in the eyes? It all goes back to their behavior.

Different animals have distinct behaviors and so does mountain gorillas.

When you go on Uganda gorilla trekking or Rwanda gorilla trekking, you are given several guidelines to follow when you meet these apes in the mountains or rain forests.

Showing a Silverback gorilla no eye contact or limited eye contact is one of the guidelines you will come across and have to adhere to for your own safety.

You should always try to avoid constant eye contact with a Silverback. It shows you are willing to challenge them and take away members from their family.

A Silverback is the head of a gorilla family. Its his obligation to protect his family from all threats and keep it in peace.

Usually when challenges arise, it is him to face it up and decide the fate of the family. This is why they are so keen on challenges and fight their best to win.

When you maintain an eye contact with them, they will charge at you by thumping their chests, making loud noise, throwing vegetation at you and releasing a very strong smell that can be smelt by humans who are 26 yards away.

Also Read: What to do when a gorilla charges at you

However, 99% of such charges are usually fake as proven by several scientists. When you bow down and look down for long, they will calm down. They will know you have accepted defeat.

Its only when you keep looking them in the eye continuously that they will follow through with their threat.

When you go gorilla trekking, do not beak any of the rules or think you are too smart to make constant eye contact with a gorilla so that you see the outcome.

These apes are too strong that they can break your bones with little or less effort.