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| Understanding the Individualized Impacts of Death on Gorilla Group Dynamics |
| Valerie James-Aldridge1, Claudia Martinez2, Patricia Scanlan1, Jamie Langbein1,2. 1Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, TX, United States; 2University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, United States |
We examined effects of the death of an adult female gorilla (G. g. gorilla) named Martha on other group members: Martha’s infant, Kruger; silverback, Mbundi; and two other adult females related to Martha, each with an infant of her own, Penney with infant Sally, Margaret with infant Burchfield, at Gladys Porter Zoo. Despite limited pre-death data due to covid-related issues, descriptive statistics revealed changes in affiliative, anxious, agonistic, and undesirable behaviors. Kruger increased affiliative contacts with Mbundi (Pre M=0.46 min per 5-min focal test; Post M=2.16 min) who readily accepted his offspring’s presence. Neither Penney nor Margaret increased affiliative contacts with Kruger post-death. Shifts in anxious and agonistic behaviors emerged. Margaret exhibited reduced anxious behaviors (Pre M=0.84 min; Post M=0.05 min); Burchfield displayed increased agonistic behaviors (Pre M=0.01 min; Post M=0.91 min). Penney, Martha’s full sister, showed an increase in undesirable behaviors (Pre M=0.09 min; Post M=0.24 min), possibly as a result of loss of social support. These findings help us understand death’s impacts on gorilla group dynamics. � |