Mountain Gorillas: Dian Fossey Field News

April's edition of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Field News has been online for a while now. It tells of a coming together of two mountain gorilla groups in which three gorillas switched groups, one went back, and two stayed with their new group.

The welcome in Beetsme’s group followed a pattern we have observed in recent transfers among the gorilla groups we monitor. The subordinate males in the group all made efforts to display their dominance to the new females, following their movements and sometimes exhibiting aggressive behaviors. The females tried to avoid these approaches, yet remain submissive at the same time. They were often observed all resting together.