![]() ![]() The relationship between the silverback and the females is therefore essential to keeping the group together, and they spend a lot of time in mutual grooming. Sometimes a subordinate male will take over instead, and in the Eastern Lowland Gorilla the females may remain as a group, waiting for a male to join them and take over leadership. It is the silverback who holds the group together, protecting the infants against predators and attacks by other male gorillas, so if he dies the group may break up, with the females leaving to search for a new breeding group. Young male and female gorillas sometimes leave their natal groups and join another group, or form a new one of their own. Occasionally there may be more than one mature male in the group, and adult males will also sometimes live alone or with other bachelor males. Generally speaking, gorillas form groups of one dominant male, known as the silverback, with a number of breeding females, and their offspring. The males make threatening calls and may beat their chests when encountering rival males. Different noises are made during play, mating, or when a predator is spotted, for instance. Vocal communication is important for gorillas, and they make a variety of calls directed at other members of their own group, or at other groups. Some gorillas have been found eating ants and termites, but these insects are rare at higher altitudes. They feed on herbaceous vegetation, and fruit such as bananas, when it is available. Time is spent alternating between rest periods and travel or foraging. A new nest is built each day the group usually moves on in search of fresh food supplies. Females and infants are more likely to sleep in the trees than males. They can also climb trees, and may build their nests up there. Gorillas spend most of their time on the ground, usually walking on all fours, on the knuckles of their hands, although they can walk just on the two hind legs. The Cross River Gorilla needs much more study before we can fully understand it. Studies of the other subspecies have found differences in socio-ecology. Much of what we know about the behaviour of gorillas comes from studies of the Mountain Gorilla. Mature males have a saddle of lighter, grey hair that stretches around the back and thighs, hence their being called ‘silverbacks’. Western gorillas have a greyer coat than eastern gorillas, and often have reddish hair, particularly on the head, which in males can be a striking chestnut. Black hair covers the body, except for the face, ears, hands and feet. They have small eyes, placed close together, and large, prominent nostrils. Gorillas are stocky apes with large hands, and forearms much shorter than their upper arms. Mountain Gorilla ( Gorilla beringei beringei)Įastern Lowland Gorilla ( Gorilla beringei graueri) ![]() Western Lowland Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla) Table 1: Subspecies and Population Sizes of Gorillas Western GorillaĬross River Gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla diehli) There are two different species of gorilla, each split into two subspecies: ![]()
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