How would you like to be the boss in your family? A group of gorillas is called a troop, and it can have from two to thirty members in it. The boss of a troop is a male silverback. As the head of the troop, the silverback makes all the big decisions for them, including when they will wake up, where they will eat and where they will stop to sleep. It sounds fun to be the one who makes all the choices. But the silverback also has more difficult jobs, like settling arguments in the group and protecting them from anyone or anything who might hurt them. If he sees a human, a leopard or another unfriendly male gorilla, the silverback may show his strength in several ways. He might beat his hands on his chest, scream, bare his teeth, break branches or charge. Most of the time, he will use these actions to scare away an opponent rather than fight.

Gorillas also have special ways of communicating with one another, including facial expressions, sounds, gestures and ways of holding their bodies. They have strong families, with both mother and father helping to take care of babies. A gorilla will ride on its mother’s back for two and a half to three years, until it is strong enough to walk by itself for long distances. Young gorillas also chase, wrestle and play a lot with one another and with whatever adults they can get to join in. This helps them to get stronger and more coordinated.

Sadly, gorillas are on the IUCN Red List as a critically endangered species. Man has been the biggest threat to them, hunting them for meat and destroying the rain forests in which they make their homes.