Traits of Empowered Alpha Female Gorillas within a Gorilla Group
This month I’ll share about the women who have impacted and inspired my life. As I write Voices from the Mist, I notice how those around us powerfully influence our development and perceptions. We don’t realize it, but we emulate our families, and if we don’t make changes where they need to be made, we perpetuate similar behavior. It’s the same with gorillas.
You know I love gorillas (and primates in general). Today I’ll talk about how traits of female gorillas impact the entire gorilla group. I’ve mentioned this before, observing gorilla mothers give their undivided attention to their babies taught me how to be a better mother.
How a mother cares for her young impacts the baby’s development throughout its life, just like humans. A neglectful mother, one who doesn’t attend to her baby’s cries, probably learned that behavior from her mother, and so on.
Alpha female gorillas lead by example, act as role models, and protect their young. Even though the females in every gorilla group maintain a hierarchy when it comes to proximity to the silverback and access to prime feeding spots, they’re in charge of raising their offspring. Mothers establish how close family bonds will be and they impact how their young develop.
An attentive, caring gorilla mother (as with human mothers) will give her young a solid and dependable base upon which to grow. The young can experiment with life, grow up confident, and eventually provide a strong foundation for their young. The cycle continues and the whole group is affected by these positive interactions.
Females are also responsible for transferring to other groups to strengthen the gene pool. Without these essentials, gorilla groups wouldn’t survive. There’s always something to learn from these majestic animals so close to us.
Resources: https://gorillafund.org/female-gorillas-affect-group-success
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