Institutional Scholarship :: Browsing by Author "Waanders, Christine"

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Social dynamics in a group of captive lowland gorillas
(1992) Waanders, Christine; Perloe, Sidney
Three months of systematic observations were done on the gorilla group at the Philadelphia Zoo, using focal animal sampling, proximity maps, and ad lib. notes. The researchers were interested in the social relationships in the group, especially examining the mother-infant relationship. It was determined that the infant was more responsible for increasing independence between herself and her mother, as she developed both physically and socially. The different types of play engaged in by all the immatures were examined. The relationships among immatures were evaluated, as well as their relationships with the silverback male. The adult male was found to be much less involved with the juveniles than expected. Family cohesion was observed: the group split down matrilines in terms of spatial proximity to each other. General social dynamics were noted, and implications for future research were mentioned.