She has one baby at a time, every three to four years. When excited, or to intimidate an enemy, a male gorilla pounds his chest. He stands on his legs and slaps his cupped hands against his chest. Youngsters tumble, climb, and run playing follow the leader. Another group plays a rowdy game of king of the mountain.
Several adults watch the action, relaxing nearby.
No, guess again. It's a lush mountain forest high in the Virunga mountains of Africa, and the playmates are young mountain gorillas under the watchful eyes of their mothers. For a long time the image most people had of a gorilla encounter included chest pounding, roaring, charging, and big, bared teeth. But researchers studying gorillas reveal a very different picture of mountain gorillas. The animals are peaceful, gentle, social, and mainly vegetarian creatures.