The sounds detailed above are those perceptible to researchers. Sudden silence often means, “watch out, something is happening.” Subtle sounds When they sense danger they will stop and fall silent, using gestures to communicate before deciding what to do next. For gorillas it’s not a comfortable silence. Silence is very perceptible among primates. They would use it to say something like “hey, back off, I’m going to eat that plant.” Silence Uh uh uhĪ sound similar to what you’ve probably heard in humans before (perhaps an uncle or teenage boy), this gorilla sound translates as back off. Gorillas bare their teeth and make a very loud waaaaaah sound, scaring others away.īear in mind that they don’t use a chest beat to scare off intruders as many suggest – a scream or roar is the sound made by gorillas when they are angry. Scream or roarĪ frightening display of power, usually accompanied by a charge. The gorilla chuckle is a little more complex, as it is both a laugh and an invitation for another to join them. Like humans, this playful sound is most commonly made by the younger members of a troop. Yes, gorilla laugh and chuckle just like us. Gorillas sing when they are happy and these reassuring noises tell everyone else that they are content. Similar to the belch but more high-pitched, singing signifies contentment. Although it seems a show of aggression, a chest beat is not a battle cry or the start of a fight. It’s essentially a display of strength and dominance over another, directed towards both males and females in the troop. Immortalised by the movies, the chest beat is what almost everybody on a gorilla trek wants to experience. Note that they make this sound using open hands, not clenched fists as the movies suggest. Trekking guides imitate this belch when a group first approaches a troop. This non-aggressive and non-threatening call is the gorillas saying they accept the presence of visitors. Here are the basic sounds made by a gorilla, including those that you are most likely to encounter on a mountain gorilla trek. Making sense of the sounds gorillas make has been integral to demystifying their world. There are also many subtle sounds and gestures within a troop.Ĭonservationist Dian Fossey lived with gorillas and identified 17 vocalisations. Gorillas can easily make themselves heard.
They can make an enormous variation of sounds. We have to be careful not to assume that just because a person yells, that we are interpreting that signal correctly.We must look at the whole cluster of signals to see if they support our reading of that person.Gorillas are very much like us. The tone (its pitch, volume and clarity) all combine to give a listener clues about the way the message needs to be interpreted, conveying our mood and meaning of our statement. That’s why we can’t always recall the exact words spoken, but clearly remember how we felt. The feeling conveyed in our voice makes more impact and is remembered longer than the words actually spoken. The louder the voice, the higher the intensity of anger that is created, whichcan quickly lead to physical confrontations.
Wethink of a bully as a person that yells or shouts at others to dominate their actions. Raising our voice creates stress and tension that often escalates into an argument. Although more frequently, yelling is a sign of aggression. Yelling happens when we hit our thumb with a hammer, when we are frightened, or when we are excited.
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