Silverback Gorilla breaks up vicious fight between females

The Silverback western lowland gorilla from the Twycross Zoo is flexing his muscles when he charges over to break up the fighting females.Show more

It is quite terrifying to see how powerful the male is and to hear all the screams from the two female gorillas. Lope the eldest son is being his usual self and has a go at Biddy his grandma. Grandma is having none of it this time and pushes Lope away. Ozala that sits beside her sees this and has a go at her mother for having a go at Lope. The watchful eye of the Silverback gorilla Oumbi reacts in an instant, the way a Silverback should and launches himself towards the females, trying to break up the fight between Ozala and Biddy. Little Shufai runs towards the two females the same time Oumbi was moving. He first clung on to Biddi and then when mum emerged he clung on to her back, and was holding on right through the middle of it all. Biddy then got pushed out of the door by Oumbi, and then Oumbi has a go at Ozala.

Lope did not get involved at first, he just looked at them, seemingly in shock that he might of caused the fight, but then he did get involved and he went for dad, grabbing his backside. When Oumbi let go and run away, Lope still had a hold of his back. A very noisy Ozala had go at Oumbi, while Oumbi did a few more laps running around until he went into the back to calm down. Biddy came back in from the back entrance. When Oumbi came out from the back again, he went into the corner, still quite agitated looking. Asante comes down from her top bunk, obviously witnessing it all from above. A little later when Oumbi comes out from the back, Lope makes way and you can see Ozala in the back with Shufai . She’s giving Oumbi the evil eye and everybody is staying well clear of the silverback. The most sorry you feel for the baby gorilla Shufai, putting himself in the middle of it all. Oumbi did a great job in breaking up the female fight.Even though Ozala started the fight by overreacting they seem to blame the Silverback. Everything was fine afterwards, no one got physically hurt, only their pride.