Gorillas are intelligent, social primates living in structured family groups within Central African forests. They exhibit complex behaviors and strong family bonds, particularly in how they raise their young. This family structure provides insight into their survival strategies and the long, protective period required for offspring to mature.
What We Call Young Gorillas
The young of gorillas are referred to as infants or babies. Gorillas do not possess specialized nomenclature, unlike some other species that have unique names for their offspring. Newborn gorillas are born relatively small, typically weighing around four pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kilograms). They are entirely dependent on their mothers, possessing a powerful grasping reflex to cling to the mother’s fur.
This dependence necessitates the constant attention of the female, who acts as the primary caregiver. The infant’s dark hair helps it maintain a firm grip on the mother’s chest or abdomen during travel. By about three months of age, they begin exhibiting motor skills like sitting up straight.
The Period of Early Dependence
Gorilla mothers invest significant time and energy into raising a single offspring, resulting in a low birth rate of one baby every four to six years. For the first six months, the infant remains in near-constant physical contact, riding ventrally on the mother’s chest or stomach for warmth, protection, and continuous nursing.
Nursing is a long process, with infants relying on their mother’s milk for two and a half to three years. Around six months of age, the infant transitions to riding on the mother’s back, a more secure position for travel. Although they sample solid foods early on, milk remains their primary source of nutrition. This maternal care, lasting until the infant is around four years old, is crucial for transmitting social knowledge and survival skills.
Milestones and Transition to Adulthood
The period following infancy marks the transition into the juvenile and sub-adult phases, where independence gradually increases. Juvenile gorillas (ages four to eight) exhibit increased play behavior with other young members of the troop. They are fully weaned and begin to forage independently, though they remain under the close supervision of the troop.
Play is a significant component of this stage, helping them develop physical strength and learn complex social cues. The final stage before full maturity is the sub-adult phase, spanning approximately six to ten years of age. Females reach sexual maturity around age eight and often remain with their birth troop or transfer to a new one to breed. Young males typically disperse between ten and twelve years old, when they are referred to as “blackbacks,” to establish their own family unit.