German scientists have revealed the secret of gorilla communication
German scientists have confirmed the hypothesis that the larger the male gorilla, the harder he punches himself in the chest, signaling friends and enemies about his physical capabilities, reports BBC News.
A study by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig found that the loud sound of a drumbeat symbolizes size and strength. These sounds allow females to appreciate the partner, and other males are warned not to dare get into a fight.
The gorilla's chest beating is an excellent means of communication in the dense rainforest where this species of monkey lives. These beats can be heard over a kilometer away.
“So the males want to say, 'Look, I’m big and strong, don’t mess with me,” and to the females, “I’m pretty big and strong, maybe you want to choose me as a partner,” explained anthropologist Edward Wright.
According to him, scientists can now confidently say that blows to the chest are a reliable signal about the size of the male's body.
Typically, groups of gorillas consist of one male and several females. Females can move between groups, while males compete for their attention. Male body size determines the rank, fighting ability, and reproductive success of an individual. Male gorillas learn to beat in the chest from an early age, as they grow older they practice this skill.
Earlier it was reported that Uganda's Bwindi National Park saw an unprecedented baby boom in the mountain gorilla population in 2020. So, last year seven babies were born in the park, while in 2019 there were only two.
