What Is a Group of Gorillas Called?

They share 98.3% of their DNA with you. They’re social creatures like you and they’re just as emotionally complex. You may have noticed they stick together in the wild. But what is a group of gorillas called?

What is a Gorilla?

Gorillas can be separated into two primary species. The first is western, which includes the cross river and western lowland gorilla. The second is the eastern gorilla, which includes the mountain gorilla and eastern lowland gorilla. These mammals are much like humans, reproducing slowly and giving special attention to the new baby before they make the choice to reproduce again. They are gentle creatures that have complex internal worlds. They’re emotional, intelligent, and charismatic.

Out of the great apes, gorillas are the biggest. They are quite stocky with intimidatingly broad shoulders. However, when you look at their faces, there’s a familiarity there. Their eyes look much like a human’s eyes, and you can read their expressions the way you do with your closest friend. Their hands are like yours as well. It makes sense that they display so many behaviors reminiscent of human behaviors.

The two gorilla species (western and eastern) reside in equatorial Africa. They are not piled together, however. There is ample space between them (560 miles to be exact). Unfortunately, habitat destruction is affecting gorilla populations. Considering how slowly they reproduce; this is having devastating consequences. There are some protected regions but according to the World Wildlife Fund, only 17% of the gorilla population resides in these areas.

What is a Group of Gorillas Called?

A group of gorillas is called either a band or a troop. These groups, or troops, consist of about five to 10 gorillas on average but they can get as big as a troop of 50. In western lowland troops, a silverback gorilla is the dominant force in the troop, and he takes the lead. The rest of the troop includes female gorillas along with their offspring, which includes both sexes. The silverback mates with the different females and when the male gorillas grow up, they leave their troops to look for mates elsewhere.

Do Male Gorillas Live in Troops?

Male gorillas (known as silverbacks due to the patch of grey that grows on their backs) don’t just live in troops, they are the leaders of their troops. It’s typically the oldest and fittest silverback that takes this role. Silverbacks are responsible not just for mating with the females of the troop, but also for ensuring each day’s activities are well orchestrated. Gorillas have unique personalities that must all work together to ensure the troop remains cohesive. If there is a confrontation, the silverback’s role is to protect the troop as well.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Eric Gevaert/Shutterstock.com