Gorilla Activities and Social Behavior: Assessing Changes Associated with Absence of Zoo Visitors, Zoo Attendance, Time of Day and Increasing Maturity
In this study we report on associations found between several variables and changes in gorilla behavior. Two groups of gorillas were observed, one was a family group and the other was a bachelor group. The zoo was closed to visitors for two periods during the COVID-19 pandemic which made it possible to document any differences […]
Preliminary comparisons of male/male interactions within bachelor and breeding groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
The establishment of bachelor groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in captivity was considered to be a necessary husbandry step in response to growing concern within the European and North American co-operative breeding programmes that breeding situations are limited [Harcourt, A.H., 1988. Bachelor groups of gorillas in captivity: the situation in the wild. […]
The role of an alpha animal in changing environmental conditions
The maintenance and development of conservation areas by grazing of large herbivores, such as Przewalski’s horses, is common practice. Several nature conservation areas house male bachelor groups of this species. When males are needed for breeding they are removed from the groups, often without considering group compositions and individual social positions. However, alpha animals are […]
The effects of group type and young silverbacks on wounding rates in western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) groups in North American zoos
In North American zoos, male gorillas are often housed in all-male (bachelor) groups to provide socialization for males not managed in breeding groups. These groups exhibit long-term cohesion and stability and males in bachelor groups are no more aggressive than males in mixed-sex groups. Previous studies have shown that aggression in male gorillas is more […]