Dispersed male networks in western gorillas
Although kin-selection theory has been widely used to explain the tendency of individuals to bias beneficial behaviors towards relatives living within the same social group [[1]], less attention has focused on kin-biased interactions between groups. For animal societies in which females emigrate, as is the case for mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), encounters between males […]
Proximate factors influencing dispersal decisions in male mountain gorillas, Gorilla beringei beringei
We examined demographic and behavioural influences on the dispersal decisions of 31 male mountain gorillas living in mixed-sex groups. Approximately half (45%) of silverback males dispersed from the groups in which they matured. Mean dispersal age corresponded with the age of physical maturity. For two-thirds (64%) of males, dispersal was a one time decision. The […]
Using behavior to determine immature life-stages in captive western gorillas
Ontogenic development is divided into infant, juvenile, adolescent and adult life-stages. Although the developmental trajectory of an individual is a flexible entity, which differs within species, environment and sex, life-stage classifications are generally structured, age-based systems. This invariably leads to rigidity within a dynamic system and consequently hampers our understanding of primate life history strategies. […]