This Kid Gorilla Is Pushing All His Dad’s Buttons

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Gorilla kids can be so annoying – and this gorilla Dad is having his patience tested to the max. The older primate is trying to have a quiet rest on a log when the little one approaches from behind and pokes him in the butt! The mischievous little gorilla looks as if he knows exactly what he is doing – trying to provoke a reaction from Dad. At first, the silverback just swats the baby away but eventually, he loses his temper and gives chase. Hopefully, he didn’t manage to get hold of the cheeky kid!

How Do Gorillas Normally Reproduce?

We are not told the exact species of this gorilla, but we know that Western lowland gorillas first mate when they are about seven or eight years old. Most females have their first birth when they are between eight and ten years old. Following mating, the female is pregnant for between 251-295 days and then gives birth to one baby. Twins have been recorded but they are rare for this species.

Baby gorillas develop twice as fast as human babies. They can crawl at three months and some will start eating plants at about two and a half months. By three years of age they are fully weaned.

What Is a Silverback Gorilla?

Silverback gorillas are not one species. Instead, it is a term used to describe mature males. Up until the age of about 10 years, male gorillas have no silver hair – they are called blackbacks. Once they reach 10 years or so, they start to grow silver hair and are termed ‘young silverbacks’ up until the age of 15 years. A true silverback is a male aged over 15 years. Adult males are around twice the size of females.

How Do Gorillas Normally Behave?

Gorillas like to live in groups. These normally comprise four to six adults and their young. In charge is a dominant silverback and then there are several females whom he mates with. The females compete with each other for social access to the male which can lead to conflicts. He often steps in to sort these squabbles out!

Once the male offspring reach maturity, they often leave the group and live alone until they can set up their own. Females may transfer between groups.

It is typical to see young gorillas playing. They can run, climb, and shred leaves alone or they may hold wrestling matches with other juveniles in the group. This is probably more sensible than annoying a grumpy Dad like the baby in the above clip!