Imagine you are hiking
high in the mountains
of Rwanda, in East Africa.
Suddenly, you hear a rustling in the bushes.
Before you know it,
you're face to face
with a giant silverback gorilla.
Before you go snapping photos
for your latest Insta story,
you might want to keep your distance.
Otherwise, this could be your last selfie.
Although you might think of gorillas
as angry and aggressive creatures,
Hollywood doesn't always show
their good natured side.
Generally,
gorillas are calm and peaceful animals
that keep to themselves
and thrive on a plant-based diet.
If you happen to fall
into their pen at the zoo
or come across one in the wild,
stay calm and listen closely.
Alright tough guy,
if you think you can take down
a gorilla in a fight, think again.
Gorillas can lift up to 900 kg (1900 lb)
and throw a punch
with up to 450 kg (900 lb) of force.
That's like being hit by a truck.
As the largest living primates,
they can weigh up to 310 kg (683 lb)
with an armspan as long as 2.6 m,
or approximately 8 ft.
They also have much thicker skulls
and skin than humans,
so even if you're Mike Tyson,
you won't stand a chance.
So if you can't fight them off to survive,
what should you do?
Be sure to keep a good distance
from the gorilla.
If it feels you're encroaching into its space,
it may threaten you by grunting and hooting.
Try not to scream or freak out,
as this might be seen as
an aggressive display
from the gorilla's point of view.
If it feels its warning grunts
are being ignored,
it might stand up
and start pounding its chest
to really show who's boss.
If you don't defuse the situation quickly,
things could get ugly.
Your first instinct might be to run
as fast as you can
in the opposite direction.
But gorillas respond to hierarchy
and may view your quick sprint
as a challenge for dominance.
And trust me,
you do not want to race a gorilla.
They can reach speeds
of up to 40 km/h (20 to 25 mph).
To put this in perspective,
Usain Bolt's world record
in the 100-meter dash
was 44.72 km/h (27.8 mph).
So it's probably best to stay put.
Don't look a gorilla in the eye
or make any sudden moves.
They don't like staring contests.
You're better off to look down at the ground.
This will make you appear
less threatening to the gorilla.
Also, as thrilled as you might be
seeing this beast in the wild, do not smile.
Flashing teeth is viewed as a sign
of aggression to gorillas.
In the dating world,
being tall might be an attractive feature,
but if you're one-on-one with a gorilla,
they may see
your elevated stature as a threat.
However tall you are, you and your ego
will want to get as small as possible.
This will show the gorilla
that you aren't the dominant one.
Okay, please don't go
pounding your chest like a gorilla.
You're not Tarzan.
Instead, pretend to nap
or eat some foliage to show the gorilla
that you are the same.
If this still doesn't work
and it charges at you,
turn around and get low to the ground.
Hopefully, it'll lose interest
by your display of weakness.
If the gorilla sees through
your terrible acting,
it may try to scratch you, bite you,
or drag you around like a doll.
I'm sorry it's not the standing ovation
you were expecting.
However painful this might be,
do not fight or try to escape.
Just go limp. If you're lucky,
it will eventually get bored of you.
Once the coast is clear,
get to safety
and seek medical attention immediately
if you're hurt.
And if, by chance,
you're driving back to civilization
in a post-gorilla frenzy,
be sure to make those
hairpin turns carefully,
or else you might find yourself
hanging off a cliff.
Talk about a rough day!
Whatever the situation is,
if you want to stay alive,
keep watching How to Survive.