Cool Science
The Bachelor

January 11, 2016

Photo Credit: © Mbeli Bai Study

This is Mbeli Bai's newest bachelor, Peapod. As of October 2015, WCS researchers in the Republic of Congo believe the 16-year-old gorilla broke away from his family group to become solitary.

Typically, a male gorilla like this leaves his father's group voluntarily rather than being forced out. And it doesn't happen overnight. The gorilla may stray to the periphery of the group and start to venture out solo in spurts.

Peapod first visited the bai alone last March. By the October sighting, it had been two months since our colleagues from the long-running Mbeli Bai Study had seen him with his group.

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