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Species: Gorilla (Gorilla g. beringei)

Use: Mother-infant relations

Authors: D. Fossey

Methods: Ad lib

Publications/Presentations: D.A. Hamburg and E.R. McCown. Development of mountain gorilla (Gorilla g. berengei): The first thirty-six months. Great Apes of Africa, 139:186.

Newborn (first 24 hours)

Whines: Weak, puppy type.

Grasping reflex

Rooting

Nuzzling of nipple

Sleep

Ventral carry

Grooming by mother

Nurse

1-2 months

Ventral clinging

Ventral carry

Low abdominal ride

Thigh ride

Dorsal ride

Rooting

Nuzzling of nipple

Mouthing or chewing of vegetation debris

Sleep

Whines

Wails: Loud, high pitched.

Exploring own body

Rolling over

Creeping

Look around

Grooming by mother

Nurse

2-4 months

Ventral clinging

Ventral carry

Dorsal ride

Crawl

Sitting attempts

Kick, whack, push

Exploratory play, surrounding vegetation: Gross, jerky extensions with fingers widely spread before object is contacted, usually only grasp object.

Exploratory play, motherÕs body: Unbalanced crawling, sliding, patting, and hair pulling.

Discipline: Mock-biting, pushing back at infant.

Eating vegetation debris

Grooming by mother

Distress face

Play face

Whines

Wails

Screeches

Panting play chuckles

Nurse

4-6 months

Ventral carry

Ventral cling

Dorsal ride

Grooming by mother

Nurse

Exploratory play, surrounding vegetation: Includes manipulation of vegetation

Exploratory play, motherÕs body: More strenuous, includes mock-wrestling with extremities.

Solo play: Patting, clapping and whacking own body

Restrain infant

Eating vegetation: No food prep, just plucking leaves or gnawing

Quadrupedal walking

Whines

Wails

Panting chuckles

Screeches

Screams

Sits

Stand bipedally

Social contact w/others

Chest beat

Ventral ride

Dorsal cling

Rump-clinging: Infant follows mother with one or both hands clasping hair on rump.

Nursing

Solo play: Now includes tree climbing

Leave mother

Infant restrain

Contact with mother

Within armÕs reach

Within 15 feet

Social play

Eating vegetation: No food prep, just plucking leaves or gnawing.

Genital touching: Mother uses genital touching as training method by which infant is urged to crawl, climb, walk, and run (observed only in captives).

Walk bipedally

Travel quadrupedally

Stand bipedally

Sit

Nurse

Push from nipple

12-24 months

Dorsal ride

Ventral carry

Travel quadrupedally

Rump-clinging

Nurse

Push from nipple

Social play: More vigorous.

Solo play: Swinging, twirling and semi-brachiating in trees.

Eating vegetation: Now includes stripping leaves.

Grooming mother

Chest-patting

Foliage-whacking

Strut-walking

Compressed-lip

Whines

Wails

Panting chuckles

Screeches

Hoot cries

Shrieks

Temper tantrum screams

Howls

Pig-grunts

Leave mother

Mother restrain

Contact with mother

Within armÕs reach

Within 15 feet

Dorsal ride

Travel quadrupedal: Includes canter gait.

Ventral carry

Nursing

Push from nipple

Solo play: Tree play increases, becomes more inventive and daring.

Social play: Begins including more tree play.

Eating vegetation: Includes preparation: wadding, stripping, peeling.

Grooming: Includes siblings, peers and silverback.

Whines

Wails

Panting chuckles

Screeches

Hoot cries

Shrieks

Temper tantrum screams

Howls

Pig-grunts

Belch vocalization: Basic disyllabic variant of.

Mount

Leave mother

Mother restrain

Contact with mother

Within armÕs reach

Within 15 feet

Proximity

Groom infants

Staring at infants

Contact with mother/infant

Distant travel

Feeding

Mount

Copulation

Irritability