What are silverbacks?

Silverbacks are leaders of mountain gorilla families located in African wildness particularly protected areas that harbor Mountain gorillas. Such park include Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and   Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks both located in Uganda.

Both Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga nation parks are located d in the southwestern party of Uganda and it’s about 8 to 9 hours to drive from the capital city of Uganda Kampala to either of the park’s headquarters. It is important to note that Uganda harbors half of the remaining mountain gorillas the whole world.

Silverbacks are adult male mountain gorillas with a thick grey hair covering their back and the unshorn coat of black that helps the silverbacks regulating their body temperature. In a mountain gorilla family, silverbacks are the leaders and they usually lead groups of 11 to 20 members of the family that is consisting of females, males, and young ones.

Silverbacks keep on moving, feeding, and relaxing throughout the days as they defend their group family individuals. It is important to note that mountain gorillas are mobile and they keep looking for food, building nests daily, and on tree branches with grass nixed with light tree sticks.

The endangered mountain gorillas develop with black far, a sturdy extensive chest, long muscular arms, and widespread arms and feet. Mountain gorillas have shorter legs as compared to their arms and they stay in a group known as gorilla family.

Each group as earlier said is led by a silverback that is responsible for defending, protecting the group against any attack. Silverback gorillas do this by standing up on their two hind legs, hitting their chest, shaking trees as they strike their palms in case they see an enemy.

While standing, silverback gorillas go up to 6 feet height, and each fully grown silverback weighs about 350 pounds double the weight of an adult human being. Additionally, silverbacks are herbivores like any other mountain gorilla. This means that they feed on grass, plant bamboos, and sometimes bushy fruits from the forests where they reside.

Silverbacks as endangered mountain gorillas were discovered and known way back in 1902 however, their natural habitats have constantly been encroached and destroyed by people who intend to carry out farming activities, construction, and those looking for fuel wood.

Mountain gorilla silverbacks sometime are killed by poachers with a recent one being the “The death of Rafiki silverback” in Bwindi Impenetrable National park. All these illegal activities have made silverbacks to remain endangered mountain gorilla species in the whole world.