Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
Volume 56, Issue 4, Pages 193-206Publisher
WILEY-LISS
DOI: 10.1002/ajp.1074
Keywords
Gorilla gorilla gorilla; social structure; group composition; multi-male groups; bachelor groups
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This paper describes the size and structure of western lowland gorilla groups visiting Mbeli Bai, a swampy forest clearing in northern Congo. An observation platform at the edge of the clearing was used over a 3-yr period, with gorillas visible for 1,681 hr. Data are presented on 14 groups and seven solitary males. Mean group size (excluding solitary males) was 8.4 +/- SD 4.3, and did not differ significantly from most other gorilla studies. All groups at Mbeli contained only one fully mature male and did not show evidence of fission-fusion or regular subgrouping. All emigrating males that remained in the population became solitary, and bachelor groups were not observed. Methodological issues are raised, including the classification of multi-male groups, and the demographic profiles of other populations are discussed in the light of results from Mbeli. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available