Mountain Gorilla Social structure, Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park Congo
Mountain Gorilla Social structure, Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park Congo. The Mountain Gorilla is highly social, and lives in relatively stable, cohesive groups held together by long-term bonds between adult males and females. Relationships among females are relatively weak.
These groups are non-territorial; the silverback generally defends his group rather than his territory. In the Virunga Mountain Gorillas, the average length of tenure for a dominant silverback is 4.7 years. 61% of groups are composed of one adult male and a number of females and 36% contain more than one adult male.
The remaining gorillas are either lone males or exclusively male groups, usually made up of one mature male and a few younger males. Group sizes vary from five to thirty, with an average of ten individuals.
A typical group contains: one silverback, who is the group’s undisputed leader; one or two black backs, who act as sentries; three to four sexually mature females, who are ordinarily bonded to the dominant silverback for life; and from three to six juveniles and infants.
Most males, and about 60% of females, leave their natal group. Males leave when they are about 11 years old, and often the separation process is slow: they spend more and more time on the edge of the group until they leave altogether. The dominant silverback generally determines the movements of the group, leading it to appropriate feeding sites throughout the year.
He also mediates conflicts within the group and protects it from external threats. He is the center of attention during rest sessions, and young animals frequently stay close to him and include him in their games. If a mother dies or leaves the group, the silverback is usually the one who looks after his abandoned offspring, even allowing them to sleep in his nest.
Experienced silverbacks are capable of removing poachers’ snares from the hands or feet of their group members. When the dominant silverback dies or is killed by disease, accident, or poachers, the family group may be severely disrupted. Unless he leaves behind a male descendant capable of taking over his position, the group will either split up or be taken over in its entirety by an unrelated male. When a new silverback takes control of a family group, he may kill all of the infants of the dead silverback. This practice of infanticide is an effective reproductive strategy, in that the newly acquired females are then able to conceive the new male’s offspring. Infanticide has not been observed in stable groups.
Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park Congo
This is the most done tourism activity in the Virunga National Park Congo. There are six habituated gorilla families in the national park available for trekking. READ MORE
Gorilla Families in Virunga Park Congo
Virunga National Park counted six mountain gorilla families open for the trekking before it was closed in 2012 for insecurity in the area. READ MORE
Facts About the Mountain Gorillas
A newborn gorilla weighs about 1.8 kg (4 lb.), and spends its first few months of life in constant physical contact with its mother. In its first few months of life, infant Mountain Gorillas ride on their mother’s backs. READ MORE
Mountain Gorilla Behavior in Virunga National Park
Severe aggression is rare in stable groups, but when two Mountain Gorilla groups meet, the two silverbacks can sometimes engage in a fight to the death READ MORE
Congo Gorilla Trekking Safaris Tours, Wildlife Safari in Congo
2 Days Congo Gorilla Safari to Virunga National Park
The 2 Days Congo Gorilla Safari to Virunga National Park is a short Congo gorilla trip specially designed for the travellers who want to see gorilla in Congo but are time constrained. READ MORE
2 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Trekking Safari
The 2 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Trekking Safari to Kahuzi Biega National Park is a short Lowland Gorilla Trip starting in either Kigali or Gisenyi and ends in Rwanda. READ MORE
3 Days Lowland Gorilla Safari in Congo
The 3 days Low Land Gorilla trekking Safari in Congo is one of the highly unique safaris that will allow you to trek the stunning lowland gorillas in Khauzi Biega National Park READ MORE
3 Days Gorilla Trekking Tour in DR Congo
The 3 Days Gorilla tour in Congo is one of the short gorilla trekking tours that allow you to trek gorillas in Congo Africa’s most beautiful Virunga National Park located in North-Eastern part of DR Congo. READ MORE
3 Days Congo Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safari
3 Days Congo Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safari in Virunga National Park is a short primate tour that starts and ends in Kigali. Virunga National Park is part of the greater Virunga Massif shared among Congo READ MORE
4 Days Gorilla Trek and Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
The 4 Days Hike Safari in Congo is one of the highly rewarding short tours Gorilla trekking tours that gives you that unique opportunity to have memorable gorilla trekking experience READ MORE
5 Days Adventure & Congo Safari in Congo to Virunga
5 Days Congo Gorilla & Adventure Safari in Congo & Mount Nyiragongo is primarily a primate viewing and Mountain climbing safari. The Safari includes tracking Mountain Gorillas in Congo READ MORE
5 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Trekking Tours
5 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Trekking Tour, Chimpanzee trekking & Mount Climbing Safari is an exciting Africa adventure tour to the South Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo READ MORE
6 Days Congo Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safaris Tour
The 6 Days Congo Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safari and Volcano Climbing adventure to Virunga National Park is an adventure filled exploration to one of the less explored wilderness areas of Africa. READ MORE
6 Days Mountain Gorilla trekking in DR Congo and Rwanda
The 6 Days Mountain Gorilla trekking safari in in DR Congo and Rwanda is one of the most impressing safaris that will offer you an opportunity to have double mountain gorilla trekking experience READ MORE
7 Days Gorilla Trekking in Congo Wildlife Safari
The 7 Days Congo Wildlife Safari is one of the interesting wildlife safari packages that will combine Congo’s most splendid national parks with unique ape experiences READ MORE
10 Days Gorilla trekking Safari in Congo and Uganda
The 10 Days Gorilla Safari in Congo and Uganda is an impressing safari package that will combine Congo and Uganda’s most splendid national parks with unique cultural experiences READ MORE