Do Gorillas Laugh? Grieve? Could They Fight a Hippopotamus? An Expert Answers Questions About the Impressive Primates

In the latest edition of Ask an Expert Anything, subscribers posed a series of pressing questions about gorillas to National Geographic Explorer Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka.

Animals · Ask an Expert Anything · By National Geographic Staff · Published October 19, 2026 · 1 min read

Topics: Animal Discoveries, Conservation, Animal Behaviors, Animal Profiles, Mountain Gorilla, Gorillas, Veterinarians, Veterinary Medicine, Public Health, Wildlife Conservation, Ask an Expert Anything, Animals

These questions have been edited for length and clarity. Questions for Ask an Expert Anything are submitted by National Geographic subscribers. Want to take part in our next Ask an Expert Anything? Become a subscriber today! Read more about Gladys's work and the surprising ways people can help protect gorillas.