gorilla, Largest of the great apes. Stocky, powerful forest dwellers native to equatorial Africa, both species of gorillasthe western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and the eastern gorilla (G. beringei)have black skin and hair, large nostrils, and a prominent browridge. Adults have long, powerful arms; short, stocky legs; an extremely thick, strong chest; and a protruding abdomen. Adult males have a prominent crest on top of the skull and a saddle of gray or silver hairs on the lower part of the back. Males, about twice as heavy as females, may reach a height of about 5.5 ft (1.7 m) and a weight of 300600 lb (135275 kg). Gorillas are mainly terrestrial, walking about on all four limbs. They live in stable family groups of 6 to 20 animals that are led by one or two silverback males. They eat leaves, stalks, and shoots. They are unaggressive and even shy unless provoked. They are calmer and more persistent than chimpanzees; though not as adaptable, gorillas are highly intelligent and capable of problem solving. Both species are hunted for their body parts and meat, and their habitat is disappearing. They are considered to be endangered throughout their range;

Social Structure

Gorillas are non-territorial and live in groups called troops that generally consist of 1 to 4 adult males (called silverbacks), some juvenile males (called black backs), several adult females and young.

The oldest and strongest adult male silverback is usually dominant in the troop and has exclusive breeding rights to the females.

Adolescent females transfer to another troop before reproducing at around 8 years of age. Generally the first troop a female reproduces in will become her permanent family. A female\'s status or rank in the family is generally determined by the order in which she was recruited into the troop. Late arrivals do not receive the benefits of high ranking females such as having their offspring remain close to the dominant silverback for protection. It is for this reason that females most often join a lone silverback or a newly formed troop rather than a long-established one.

An adolescent male most often splits from his parent group due to lack of breeding opportunity. Usually the adolescent male will remain solitary until he forms his own troop. This process takes several years and begins by the juvenile male separating himself just outside from the troop. As time progresses, his distances increase from the parental group.

Troop populations usually range in size from 2 to 12 individuals with 9 being the average. They are highly synchronized in their activity patterns. If a troop consists of multiple silverbacks they are usually the sons of the dominant adult male silverback. One of the largest gorilla troops identified had 4 silverbacks, 5 blackbacks, 12 adult females, and 16 young.

Gorilla troops have a home range between 4-25 km2 (1.5-9.7 miles2)

Social Behavior

Silverbacks are typically more aggressive than other group members since the troop\'s safety is their responsibility. The silverback makes all group decisions, is responsible for most of the calls, receives the dominant portion of food (even when resources are limited) and can terminate troublesome behavior with just a look. A male must have an established home range and great strength to confront any rival before acquiring his own troop. Therefore most silverbacks are usually solitary for about 4 years and turn 15 before acquiring a troop of their own.

Adult females are not bonded to one another and usually compete to groom and stay close to the silverback. Mothers are closely bonded to their offspring for the first three years of life.

Competition for adult females is high and will often result in aggressive interactions between a dominant and rival silverback who is looking to either start or expand a troop. These confrontations may intermittently last for days and involve all the troop members.

Gorillas will give each other nose-to-nose greetings and gestures of reassurance such as embracing or touching.

Individual Behavior

Gorillas build nests to sleep in and the presence of sufficient nesting material determines the location in which they bed. Nest construction varies, but usually consists of bent/broken vines and branches formed around and underneath each individual. Infants sleep in their mother\'s nest until they are about 3 years of age. However, some offspring as young as 8 months practice nest building. Nests function to keep the gorillas off the cold ground, prevent them slipping down a slope, or support them in a tree during the night. Researchers can identify the size, age, activity and make-up of a gorilla troop based on their nests.

Gorillas most often walk quadrupedally (four-footed) with limited bipedal (two-footed) movements. Gorillas and chimpanzees have a distinctive walk called knuckle-walking. The walk derived its name because they walk on their knuckles, not on their palms.

Gorillas usually travel only about 0.5 to 1 km (0.3 to 0.6 mi.) per day when there is ample food supply, since they have a slow pace and relatively large body size which makes it difficult to travel extensively.

It is extremely rare that gorillas would compete for or share food.

Protection and Care

The dominant silverback is responsible for the protection and safety of the troop. When in a threatening situation, the silverback will ferociously beat its chest, produce loud scowling vocalizations and a pungent odor (which humans can detect from over 25 yards away), throw vegetation and charge at its opponent or intruder. Researchers have discovered that 99% of their charges are bluffs; providing the rest of the troop time for retreating to a safe distance. However if pressed, the silverback will follow through with his threat.

Mothers and older siblings also help protect the young.

Leadership and Responsibility

When the man (men, women and children) called or considered other animals as lower specieshe (man) places himself above them (animals) because he believed he had more sense than the other animals. However, the other animals had continued to defile this belief and proof to be more sensitive in many areas of society management than man. Animals through their natural acts had questioned the civilization that man claim to have.

Although man through science and technology had produced profound tools and equipment that required a high level of knowledge, intelligence and skills, he had continued to consistently miss one crucial point in his application of these products of high-powered- technology and technicalknowhow.

That part man had consistently missed is a sense of civility and overall civilization. The more civilized man claimed to be, the less sensitive he becomes about the plights of his kind. This on the overall is questionable.

There are many areas in which this question may arise. One of such area man had failed in recent years is in the area of responsibility to/for one another and provision of leadership to his followerthe people who depend on his courage, confidence and competence to overcome and conquer their fears as well as insecurities.

The more this area of the society continues to suffer, the more the society continues to lack decorum. A society or population that lack decorum cannot enjoy peace and tranquility. Hence, both peace and tranquility are dependent on leadership, responsibility and organization of the society; it is the duty of the leader to provide the needed serenity and conditions to attain them.

Thats exactly what the Gorilla in this video provided for his followers and taught the men to do samefor their family, their community and their country or world.

The Lessons Taught by the Gorilla

1.The Gorilla knew that leadership is a responsibility to members of the community. This responsibility or leadership is provided by the leaderwho through this act of responsible leadership creates an environment of orderliness, peace and tranquility.2.The Gorilla understands that as the society or community advances on the journey for survival, foraging and development, there are points where the community encounters dangers along the path. These dangers will strike fear in the mind of everybodyin some casesthe leader inclusive, but no matter the height of fear sparked-up in the community, it is the responsibility of the leader to provide the leadershipcourage, confidence and competence required to overcome such dangers or obstacle. This may require the leader to puts himself in a sacrificial positionof course, according to this Gorilla, the leader should take the bullet.3.The Gorilla taught that the leader is the bridge of courage, confidence and competence between the community and their destiny. He lets his followers walk of his courage and confidence for the sake of progress, advancement as well as safety.4.The Gorilla understands that leadership is a dynamic process which requires that the leader identifies areas or times of high dangers and fit into the appropriate roles/positions in providing leadership to his followers. This the Gorilla demonstrated by leading the group through the foreststaying in front and ensuring the safety of every memberand standing in-gap in the area of high danger until every member of the park is finally in a safer position. This means you dont always lead in front, sometimes in the middle or from the back depending on where your leadership will be more valuable to the group.5.A leader leads by example, acted through selflessness. By standing in the danger area until every member of the group had safely passed, the Gorilla demonstrated to the group and the young ones when they become the leader are to stand in the way of harm to protect their followers. He showed them what leadership is, providing purposeful leadership and a sense of direction for future leaders.6.Finally, the Gorilla made it clear through his actions that if you cant ensure the safety of every one of your follower; do not take the leadership positions. What this means is that the position of leadership is not for cowards or incompetent self- seekers. Its for the courageous and the self-sacrificing member.