![male silverback gorilla male silverback gorilla](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GgoAAOSwrKBit2PQ/s-l500.jpg)
It also has the exclusive right to mate with females. Their tasks are: taking decisions, resolve conflicts, defend the group against the enemies, produce offspring, find new sites to feed, define the home area, when to eat, sleep, and so on. It is the oldest, usually an adult over 12 years of age, and the strongest, the one that becomes the master since it has the great responsibility to protect all members of his group.
Male silverback gorilla Patch#
However, all males get that hair patch on their back when they reach maturity, but only one becomes the leader. The “Silverback” who leads a group, is easily recognized by a patch of silvery fur that covers its back. In average, groups have between 2 and 12 members and move around an area of 4 to 25 square kilometers.Īll males get the silvery hair patch on their back when they reach adulthood, but only one of them becomes the leader. Their composition varies over time due to events like the death of the young and the migration of individuals when they reach sexual maturity. Groups of western lowland gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla) appear to be smaller: up to 5 individuals. The troops are typically composed of 2 to 30 members from which 1 to 4 are male adults, and the rest are blackbacks, adult females, and their offspring. Males protect females and the offspring of the group, and in turn, the dominant male can access the females that are in heat. Similar to other primates, they are very social animals that live in groups. Furthermore, since they continually travel in search of food, they cannot control one area. Quite the opposite, they are gentle and non-territorial primates, which means that they do not stop other animals entering their living area. Some people think that gorillas are violent and territorial animals, but that is a myth.