What is a group of Gorillas called?

A Gorilla group is called a ‘troop’ which consist of 10-15 members of a family, including a silverback who is in power to protect and lead the family, females, males and their offsprings. Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park has quite a number of troops.

If a troop consists of several males, they are usually the sons of a silverback who later on can take over power to lead a family.

The process to form a ‘troop’ happens most times when a male splits from his parenthood family due to lack of breeding opportunities.

Usually the male who is in adolescent will remain solitary until he forms his own gorilla group, while the family at the age of 8-10 years will transfer to another troop before reproducing .The first troop a female reproduces in will become her permanent family.

She will benefit from the family depending on her arrival time general late arrivals do not benefit from the family,

The first arrivals receive a high rank such as their offspring’s remain very close to the silverback for protection. The main reason why females join a lonely silverback or a new formed troop. A silverback must have a home range and great strength before starting a gorilla group, this process takes place between the age of 4 years-15 years therefore from there he can acquire a troop of his own.

In the gorilla group mothers are closely bonded to their offspring for a period of 3years after their stay together to the silverback as they groom the male.

The troop has a lot of competition between the females which often can result unto aggressive interaction between the male silverback who is always thinking of expansion the gorilla group or start a new one.