We traveled to an African cloud forest and met some fantastic mountain gorillas. The giant male gorilla with silver fur didn’t exactly become our immediate best friend. But a little time and a little knowledge helped us all get along. Here’s what we learned:

1. Gorillas are shy. They eat plants, not people. However, they have been known to react to people if they feel threatened.

2. If you alarm a gorilla, it will roar, throw sticks, pound its chest, and charge toward you. Most of the time, the gorilla is just faking.

3. Crouch down and keep your eyes on the ground. This tells the gorilla that you mean no harm and that it’s the boss! This is the way gorillas treat each other. Bottom line: you play nice, and they will, too.

Beware of this gorilla.

Maybe not this one!