Mammals: Gorillas, Silverback the leader of the toops. Africa

Africa, a land of great diversity, where cultures blend and history runs deep. A continent of majestic landscapes, where wildlife roams free. Among them, the gentle giants of the forest, the gorillas!

In this land, half of the gorillas live in Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, and family is everything.

Gorilla families, also known as troops live in family group of usually five to ten, are led by a dominant male, known as a silverback, the strongest and largest of the males. The other members of the troop are typically females and their offspring. The bonds within the troop allow each member to succeed during chaos and hardship.

In the wilds of the jungle, gorillas talk to express dominance, submission, happiness, anger, fear, and even playfulness through their vocalizations and body language.

The chest-beat of the silverbacks asserts dominance and warns off potential rivals. They also use grunts, roars, and barks to communicate with other gorillas in their troop. Gorillas also use non-vocal sounds such as smacks, hoots, and screams to convey different messages. They also use grooming as a means of bonding and reinforcing social bonds. Gorillas communicate to live and to survive.

But the harmony is fragile, and hardship arrived as human populations grow and expand. Gorilla’s habitats shrink and fragment. Poaching for bush meat and illegal trade, constant threats to their survival. Gorillas are considered an endangered species. But hope remains, as conservation efforts strive to protect and restore the gorillas and their homes!