Chuckle Johns, age 12, of Pittsburg,

How much does an ape weigh?

We call them the anthropoid, moaning man‑like apes. They are long armed, hairy fellows without tails. They Include the chimpanzee, the orangutan, the gibbon, the siamang and the gorilla. The giant of the clan is the gorilla. So, lets put  Gorilla on the scales.

An average male gorilla weighs around 400 pounds, as much as two big men. Once in a while we find a mule gorilla who is even heavier than this. It is not too unusual for a rail big fellow to weight 600 pounds.

Such an animal looks fierce and terrifying. When threatened he glares, growls and beats his mighty chest. This is usually enough to scare away his foal, which is what ha wants. He does not like to fight and he is very shy of facing human beings.