Have you ever wondered about gorillas? A gorilla is a large, very strong ape with a large head and a short neck. Gorillas are the largest member of the primate family. Gorillas are calm, shy, peaceful and live in central Africa and tropical rainforests. Several thousand years ago, gorillas separated from their closest relatives, chimpanzees. There are four types of gorillas, namely eastern lowland gorillas, western lowland gorillas, mountain gorillas and cross river gorillas. Ecology is how organisms interact with each other and the environment. It is the study of the relationships between two living organisms. The theory was that gorillas were only one species, but gradually evolved as they spread and adapted to different habitats. Gorillas are non-territorial and live in groups called "troops" or "bands" which generally consist of one to four adult males, a few females and their young. When the young people grow up, they join or form another troop. The oldest and strongest adult males are called silverbacks, which dominate the pride. They received this name because of the known silver hairs on their backs. These silvery hairs develop as the gorilla matures. You can usually start seeing them when the male is over 12 years old. Silverbacks are more aggressive than any other member of the group, since the security of the troops is their responsibility. Even when resources are limited, the male receives the dominant share of food. The silverback makes all of the group's decisions, so when the silverback dies, the "troop" or "group" will disburse and form or join a new group. Younger males are called "blackbacks" because they have not yet grown their silver hair. Although not all male gorillas are given a silver hair color......... middle of paper ......" WorldWildlife.org. World WildlifeFund, June 10, 2008. Web. May 8, 2014. .Pollock , Steve. “What is Ecology?.” London: Dorling Kindersley, 1993. Print. “Gorilla Family Life.” NY: Dorling Kindersley, 2000. . Print .World, Sea. “Birth and care of young, August 17, 2012. Web. 8 May 2014..World, Sea “Gorilla behavior”. ». 2014..