The African crowned eagle is the most powerful eagle species in the world It weighs between 10 and 12 pounds 4 5 to 5 4 kg but hunts a variety of larger animals In addition to other birds the African crowned eagle can kill adult mongooses and porcupines African crowned eagles live up to 14 years These strong birds live in forests rain forests and savannas in Africa The African crowned eagle’s long tail and short wings help it fly in between the trees in search of prey African crowned eagles have thick legs They use these super-strong limbs for attacking their prey Long sharp talons help African crowned eagles grab other animals As the eagles catch their prey the talons can break the animal’s spine This move often kills the prey instantly Crowned eagles have long crest feathers with white tips on their heads AFRICAN CROWNED EAGLES GRASP THEIR PREY 1 4
Some of the eagle’s prey is more than four times its size African crowned eagles often prey on samango and vervet monkeys If the prey outweighs the eagle it will swoop to the ground to eat where the animal is But the eagle can carry a 17-pound 7 7-kg vervet monkey back to its nest 8 Size in feet 2 4 m of some African crowned eagle nests African crowned eagles live in the forests of central and southeastern Africa African crowned eagles nest in trees as high as 40 to 150 feet 12 to 46 m from the ground One of the strongest parts of the eagle’s body is its wings Long before they can fly young birds flap their wings over and over to build their flight muscles Female African crowned eagles are usually larger than the males The eagle’s talons allow it to take down its prey without a fight 5
Male silverback gorillas use their strength to protect their families from predators The gorilla is the largest ape in the world Standing six feet 1 8 m tall males can weigh as much as 485 pounds 220 kg Females are a bit smaller They can stand up to five feet 1 5 m tall and weigh as much as 200 pounds 91 kg Along with their size gorillas have incredible strength This powerful species can lift up to 10 times its own weight or an object as heavy as a car A gorilla’s arms are both longer and stronger than its legs This is because its larger muscles are located in the arms These animals spend a lot of time bending down GORILLAS HAVE LARGE ARM MUSCLES 2 6
while gathering plants to eat Young gorillas build their arm muscles through constant play They love to climb trees and chase one another by swinging on the branches Gorillas also use their strength for defending themselves Living in groups called troops these large apes are highly protective of their family members A gorilla will charge at any animal that poses a danger to its troop Gorillas are found in the mountains and forests of Africa These strong animals can live up to 50 years in the wild They spend their days searching for food such as bamboo stems and fruits 50 Number of years a gorilla can live Gorillas are approximately 10 times stronger than a full grown man Similar to a human a gorilla has fingerprints that are different from all other gorillas Gorillas are highly intelligent People have even taught some gorillas how to communicate using sign language The word gorilla comes from a Greek word meaning a tribe of hairy women Between six and twelve gorillas live together in a troop 7
