Gorilla Social Structure

Gorilla Social Structure

The social structure of gorillas is very interesting to learn about. Observing them in their natural environment gives you the chance to see all that they do. There is a dominant male in each troop who has a very important role. The other gorillas rely on him to decide when they move, to resolve conflicts within the troop, and even to fight for them when there are predators trying to attack.

You will find plenty of affection and interaction among a group of gorillas. The young learn how to do many things by copying the older ones. They are quite comical and one of the favorite aspects of observation for researchers. They will engage in rough play with each other and that is a great way to make them stronger as well as to learn skills they may need to protect themselves.

For the most part the adult gorillas in a troop are extremely patient and loving towards the young. There is a hierarchy among the females as well but it is less defined than with the dominant male. Their role becomes more important when they have young to care for than when they are alone.

Most of the time a troop of gorillas won’t have more than 10 in it. These are the dominant male, several females, and their offspring. In some areas larger groups have been identified but they are very rare. It is believed that this was the result of a silverback fighting another and bringing his troop in to join one that was already in place.

Grooming is very important to the gorillas and they will sit for hours and hours making sure that it is done. Everyone in the group will take turns removing small insects from the bodies of the others. They will eat what they find so it can be kind of gross to watch! The silverback is the only member of the troop that you won’t find grooming any other member. Even the youngsters will copy this behavior and groom each other.

The bonds that are formed in a troop among the females that will permanently reside there are very strong. They will help each other get through things such as the loss of young ones. This can be an extremely emotional time for a mother due to the attachment that they have with their offspring.

When the leader of the troop dies, it can be devastating for the entire troop. They may want to stay with him for many days before they finally move on. There vocalization of the incident is one that can even be defined as eerie.

These animals aren’t just out for themselves which is very unique. While most animals will instinctively protect their young, gorillas will fight for all in their troop. While the females generally won’t be a part of the action, they have been known to step in to the fight when they feel one of their troop is in real danger.

Many people assume that males, other than the leader, aren’t part of the troop. However, the males often live with the troop until they are about 11 years of age. At that time they will leave and set out on their own or to form a small group with other bachelor gorillas. They will have the necessary skills to survive on their own though by the time they leave their family of origin.