Life cycle of the mountain gorillas

Investigating the Life Cycle of the Gorilla: Growth and Stages

The life cycle of a gorilla commences with a gestation period that lasts approximately 8.5 weeks.

Swollen fingertips are indicative of the gestation period in gorillas. Female mountain gorillas typically give birth at night and can do so at any time of the year.

Gorillas of all ages, from juvenile to elderly, will be encountered during your gorilla trekking expedition in Rwanda or Uganda.

If you are privileged, you may even have the chance to observe a newborn gorilla.

The Life Cycle of a Gorilla

Gorillas have a very low birth rate, producing offspring every four to six years and having only 1-2 fertile days in a typical month.

Until the infant gorilla is 4-6 years old, they will not mate again after conceiving and giving birth. A female gorilla is capable of bearing only 2–6 progeny during her lifetime.

A newborn mountain gorilla is referred to as an infant and continues to breastfeed on the mother’s milk until it reaches the age of 3-4 years.

They are born with a weight of approximately four pounds and are susceptible to injury. Three to four months after birth, they begin to sit up and walk.

The infant is carried by the mother until approximately six months of age, at which point they are able to cling to her back until they are four to six years old.

Occasionally, infant male mountain gorillas may be slain when the group’s leadership changes or when the mother joins another group.

A Silverback is doing this out of concern that the young males might mature and take over. Juvenile gorillas are referred to as infants who have reached the age of 4–8 years.

Although they are capable of completing the majority of tasks independently at this age, this does not necessarily indicate that they are mature. During this time, they may weigh between 60 and 70 kilograms.

A gorilla is classified as an adult when it reaches the age of 10-15 years, and males grow into blackbacks.

Sexual maturity is achieved by females prior to males at this age.

Male gorillas will persist in their growth, while females may cease to increase in height and instead accumulate weight.

Silverbacks are the concluding stage of a gorilla’s life cycle, which is indicated by the development of a grayish hair patch on the backs of male blackbacks.

Males exhibit a cessation of weight and physical growth at this age. The typical lifespan of a gorilla is 35 to 40 years.