What Is a Group of Gorillas Called?
The correct collective noun, where it comes from, and how gorilla bands are actually structured.
Quick answer: A group of gorillas is called a band of gorillas. You’ll also frequently see troop of gorillas, which is the term more commonly used in primatology, along with the rarer, more whimsical woop of gorillas.
What Is a Group of Gorillas Called?
A group of gorillas is called a band. It’s a fitting word for a small, cohesive social group organized around a single dominant leader — much closer to how gorillas actually live than a looser term like “herd” would suggest.
Where Does “Band” Come From?
“Band” describes a small, organized group of people or animals bound together, and it’s been applied to gorillas for the same reason it’s used for outlaws, musicians, or hunting parties: a tight group with a shared leader and shared territory. “Troop” is the term more commonly used in primatology and academic writing about primate social groups generally, so you’ll see it just as often, if not more, in scientific contexts.
Gorilla Band Facts
- A band is typically led by a silverback — a mature male named for the patch of silver-gray hair that develops on his back around age 12 to 13.
- Most bands have 5 to 10 members, though some, especially mountain gorilla groups in favorable habitat, can grow to 30 or more.
- Gorilla gestation lasts about 8.5 months, and mothers almost always give birth to a single infant — twins are rare.
- Young males eventually leave their birth band to live alone or with other males before attempting to form or take over a band of their own.
- Gorillas share roughly 98% of their DNA with humans, among the closest genetic relatives of any animal.
- Wild gorillas can live 35 to 40 years, but both eastern and western gorilla species are classified as critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.
- One of the most famous gorillas in history is Koko, a western lowland gorilla raised by researcher Francine “Penny” Patterson starting in 1972, known for learning a modified form of American Sign Language.
Examples in a Sentence
“The band of gorillas moved slowly through the bamboo forest, the silverback trailing behind to watch for threats.”
“Researchers have tracked the same troop of gorillas for over a decade.”
Other Names for a Group of Gorillas
Band and troop are both widely used and considered correct — band leans slightly more common in everyday writing, while troop is the term favored in primatology. Woop is a much rarer, more playful term that occasionally appears on collective-noun lists but has no clear historical origin and isn’t used in scientific or field contexts.
Read more in A Band of Gorillas, or see which other animals also form a band.
Test Your Knowledge
1. What is a group of gorillas called?
2. What is the mature male leader of a gorilla band called?
3. Roughly what percentage of DNA do gorillas share with humans?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of gorillas called?
A group of gorillas is called a band. Troop is also commonly used, especially in primatology.
What is the leader of a gorilla band called?
The leader of a gorilla band is called a silverback, named for the patch of silver-gray hair that develops on a mature male’s back around age 12 to 13.
How many gorillas are in a typical band?
Most gorilla bands have five to ten members, though some groups, particularly mountain gorillas in favorable habitat, can grow to 30 or more.
Are gorillas endangered?
Yes. Both eastern and western gorilla species are classified as critically endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.
Who was Koko the gorilla?
Koko was a western lowland gorilla raised by researcher Francine “Penny” Patterson starting in 1972, famous for learning a modified form of American Sign Language.
So next time you picture a silverback watching over his family, you’ll know the right word: a band of gorillas.
More collective nouns: Group of Giraffes · Group of Wolves · Group of Beavers