Gorillas are mammals and therefore give birth to live ones. But before a baby gorilla is conceived two aspiring parents have to come together to copulate but in order for the baby to be made, the gorilla parties involved have to be mature. Males mature around the age of eleven (11) years while others mature at around thirteen (13) years but have the ability to make a baby even before they reach adulthood. For some males silvery hairs begin to grow on their backs at 13 years while the majority develop these hairs of majority around the age of fifteen (15) years.

Female gorillas mature faster than their male counterparts. Most females have their very first ovulation at six (6) years after which they go through a period of adolescent infertility which on average lasts about two (2) years. When she is mature, she will begin to entice the males in the family to mate with her; and this may involve mating with several males until more visible signs of pregnancy are observed. Mating in the gorilla family does not have a particular season and it goes on throughout the year.

The mother will then carry her young one within her warm womb for at least 8.5 months at the end of which she will give birth to a baby. A female gorilla normally gives birth to three (3) or four (4) young ones throughout its sexual productive life sometimes giving birth to twin baby gorillas.

Once the baby is born it begins to feed from its mom’s breasts until the time when it is weaned and becomes a Juvenile at the age of three (3) years but it continues to share a nest with its mother and to spend most of it day with her. The bond between the infant/juvenile and its father is not strong at this time; the baby is still “mommy’s boy”.

When the infant makes six (6) years, he learns to leave his mom’s side a lot more and often starts to build his own nest a few months later. He joins the party of the other playful juveniles in the family and enjoys to move about more than when he was a baby. If it’s a male it begins to learn from the adult males the art of survival; which in the jungle is a fulltime job.

However much they grow old, a larger percentage of gorillas, like humans; maintain connections with their mothers.