Do Gorillas Live in Families –Mountain Gorilla Safari Destination
Do Gorillas Live in Families –Mountain Gorilla Safari Destination : Gorillas are social animals that usually form harems, consisting of one silverback ‘’male’’ live together with other species adult females and their offspring. However, in mountain gorillas there are about 40% of families that contain number of adult males who are closely related.
A gorilla family /group contains many females than males, many males are left over. They are seen roaming the forest on their own. And such loners tend to make up 5 -10% of the gorilla population. Occasionally, male gorillas form all-male groups.
Mountain gorilla family comprises a size which is very variable, with an average that contains four to ten members. The biggest gorilla group was found in Rwanda that consisted of 65 individuals for a short period.
Further fact, when the group leader dies, the group dissolves silverback male of which the son of the dead leader takes over.
If the group have a strong relationship which is also very important for the raising of youngsters. This becomes obvious for example it’s a weaned young gorilla loses its mother. In particular, the leading silverback, take over the mother’s responsibilities.
Since people have families, why not Mountain gorillas whom we share a close DNA of 98%. Mountain gorillas have families too that acts as a tourism attraction to tourists worldwide. Visitors on primates destination have to assign a gorilla group to trek on the particular day ,accompanied by the park range in a group of 8 individuals .Gorilla trekking is done in groups where you have to allocate a gorilla group /families in particular destination you visited .Mountain gorillas are only found in three countries ;Uganda ,Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo .That is Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national and Mgahinga ,Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park and Congo’s Virunga National park.
A gorilla family/group is called a troop; each troop is made up of 5 to 30 individuals.
The most interesting facts about mountain gorilla is that, it has one silverback who has a right to own other adult females within the family hence not allowing any male gorillas to come close to females. Any attempt done by a different silverback to get closer to a female automatically erupt into a fight. A dominate silverback who tend to mate all adult female, results he to be the father of all baby gorillas in the family. Just like in humans, two fathers can’t rule in one home.
When male gorillas in the family turn the age 11 years, they leave their family. Although, it always hard to join any established group. They are looked at as strangers to the gorilla family/group. The adult males have a system of spending most of their time in isolation not until they attract females and form their groups/families.
Female gorillas normally leave at the age of 8 years to join the new gorilla family that is formed before breeding.
In Gorillas there are endless fascinating interactions ‘’between gorilla groups’’. Interactions require considerable multitasking for males just as to protect their group, try to attract females from other groups and through preventing their females from leaving. Unlike, interactions can be very intense with a lot of male posturing and displaying. However, they can be charm and peaceful, with groups intermingling for hours.
Mountain gorillas can be found in high altitude montane and bamboo forest, surround by agriculture and settlements. They are one of the biggest and most powerful living primates, a male weigh 180 kilograms. Both male and female gorillas in a family take care for their infants playing with them, hugging and carrying.
Book now, your primate safari to one of the destination in Africa where mountain gorillas exists and engage in such an incredible experience in life time ‘’Trekking Mountain Gorillas.
