A MIGHTY Silverback gorilla dubbed “The King” was murdered by his son in a tale worthy of a Shakespearean play.
Orphaned at the age of four, Titus, began his ascent as the “world’s biggest gorilla” after joining a group of bachelor gorillas led by the ape gang’s leader Beetsme.
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After several years as Beetsme’s subordinate, and fathering several offspring in secret, Titus wrestled control from his former king at the age of 17 and was crowned king of his tribe in a bloodless coup.
Titus sired more children than any other gorilla on record and by 2004 controlled the largest known gorilla troop in the world.
While his 15-year-long reign was long and fruitful, it came to an end for the 35-year-old, 32st gorilla after two of his sons tried to take control.
Titus’ first born Kuryama displaced his father in 2007 after he made a bid to become the group’s dominant male.
However, unwilling to give up his position, Titus split with the group and his loyal followers remained with him until he was murdered two years later.
At the age of 35 and not as strong as he once was, Titus was challenged by his 17-year-old son Rano who had not been seen for two years.
The young Silverback gorilla threatened his father’s position, and in turn, Titus fled on foot to keep the young usurper away.
However several weeks of fleeing Rano weakened the gorilla king as he struggled with the stress.
Field trackers from Karisoke Research Centre found the aged gorilla dead in his nest on September 14.
Titus’ legacy was immortalised in the BBC documentary “The Gorilla King”.
The documentary looks at his life and his rise to power in Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains.
The documentary description reads: “Titus is not just one of the most powerful silverbacks in Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains, he is possibly the most remarkable gorilla ever known.
“His life story is as full of drama, intrigue and tragedy as any human soap opera.
“Against a stunning backdrop of misty volcanic peaks cloaked in bamboo and giant lobelia, Titus has successfully steered his family group through thick and thin. Now he is under pressure again.”
The documentary wasn’t Titus’ first brush with fame. He first starred in Dian Fossey’s “Gorillas in the Mist”, a film about the famed gorilla conservationist.
The large Silverback also made a lasting impression on Sir David Attenborough, who met Titus, then 5, as the young orphaned gorilla jumped on his back.
He said: “He was a charming little animal. Certainly, it was very memorable and I haven’t been allowed to forget it.”
Born in August 1974, Titus was initially thought to have little chance of survival.
His uncle Digit, was killed by poachers in 1978 and had his head and hands hacked off. The same poachers later returned to slaughter Titus’s father, Bert.
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Silverback Gorilla Facts
Five facts you didn’t know about Silverback Gorillas
- They are one of the biggest, most powerful primates
An average male Silverback gorilla can weigh up to 30st and measure 5’5″ tall on all fours. Female gorilla’s a slightly smaller and weigh up to 15st and are 4′ 9 on all fours. - They can eat all day long
Mountain gorillas spend about a quarter of their day eating, mainly plants. Around 85 per cent of their diet is made up of leaves, shoots and stems, but gorillas can also eat larvae, snails, ants, and even roots, barks and rotting wood. - They cozy up at night
Like humans, gorillas like to sleep together. They sleep in nests on the ground or in a tree. Young gorilla’s will share their mother’s nests to stay safe and warm. - They live in family groups
Most mountain gorillas live in stable family groups of around 10 individuals, with one dominant male and several females. Both males and females in the group care for their infants; hugging, carrying and playing with them. - In the wild, gorillas can live to over 40 years old
Males between 8-12 years are called ‘blackbacks’. Then from 12 years old, they develop a silver section of hair over their back and hips, earning them the name ‘silverback’. The oldest known Silverback gorilla is 42-years-old.
