The Great Apes

[Tshokwane]

Credits to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

We're very happy to announce the start of a new series, #GorillaMythMonday! Every Monday we'll explain and dispel a number of popular gorilla myths, starting right now! For today's myth, we're going to talk about chestbeating. Many people think that to chestbeat, a gorilla will make fists and pound them against their chest. Not true! Gorillas in fact chestbeat with an open palm, and the resulting sound is a very loud "pok-pok" that reverberates throughout the forest! To hear what that sounds like, check out our Learning Materials archive! http://dfgfi.org/2lsXBwV.

Silverback Isabukuru.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Here's a little video to show you how it sounds.

The sound you hear prior to the chest beat is called hooting, it's believed the Silverback makes it to fill the chest with air and to make the sound of the chest beat more powerful.

Rival males and also females judge the size and strenght of the Silverback based on his chest beats, that can be heard through kilometers in the dense forest.

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