When Kiki the mountain gorilla set off to steal a mate from a rival group, he learned an important animal-kingdom lesson: only take what you can run with. Vimeo user Romain Côte brings us this intimate encounter with Kiki and the rest of the 'Susa Family', the largest group of mountain gorillas living in the Virunga Mountains.
Kiki's impertinence earned him a beating from the rival group's alpha male, and while it may seem harsh, it's all part of the reality of life in the wild: a bit of 'who's the boss' from the males tells female gorillas where to hedge their bets for the best genes (and therefore the healthiest offspring).
With just over 800 left in the world, seeing these mountain gorillas in their natural habitat certainly is a rare treat.
Top header image: Joseph King
Animal Behaviour
Film and Photo
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