[Columbia, SC] - The SCE&G ZooView webcam will move to the gorilla exhibit this Thursday, January 4. Webcam viewers will get the chance to check out Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s all male bachelor troop throughout the month of January.

“The social hierarchy of gorillas is fascinating to observe,” said Sue Pfaff, assistant curator of mammals at Riverbanks. “Based on this hierarchy, viewers will witness consistent behavioral patterns and communication among the gorillas such as vocalizations, facial expressions and other body language.”

The gorillas at Riverbanks are western lowland gorillas found in the tropical rainforests of West Africa, including southwest Nigeria, Cameroon, Rio Muni, Gabon and eastern Congo. Gorillas typically live in one of two types of groups in the wild, either a family group with one dominant male or a bachelor group with all males. Three males, Chaka, Mike and Kimya, make up Riverbanks’ bachelor troop. Adult male gorillas have a “silverback” saddle that grows when they reach maturity around the age of 15.

Chaka, a silverback, is Riverbanks’ oldest gorilla and the leader of the troop. Chaka has a stocky build and weighs 460 pounds. Mike is the smallest member of the troop but is the most active.  Mike weighs almost 100 pounds less than Chaka and Kimya. Viewers will observe Mike interacting the most with the other males. Kimya is the largest gorilla in the troop weighing 470 pounds. Despite his size he still respects Chaka as the dominant male leader. ZooView watchers will see Kimya trying to mimic him whenever possible.

Throughout the day viewers will see the gorillas running through the vegetation and foraging for their food. The horticulture staff works hard to create an outdoor environment complete with vegetation that is edible and renewable. In addition, you might catch a glimpse of two debrazza monkeys, Arnie and Sasha, on exhibit with the gorillas. Viewers will observe them on platforms in the trees and climbing on ropes connecting the trees to pathways.

To access the SCE&G ZooView webcam, viewers can visit a number of different Web sites: www.riverbanks.org; www.scegzooview.com; www.wltx.com and www.niethestate.com.

Animal lovers will not only enjoy viewing the gorillas but they also can read educational fun facts, all while tuning into the SCE&G ZooView webcam. Viewers, who have grown attached to watching their favorite animals on the ZooView, can plan an outing to Riverbanks to visit the animal collection. For more information, call (803) 779-8717.