What a character! Female gorillas can dominate males despite their size.

Power relations between females and males are not as strictly masculine in the animal kingdom as previously thought, even in species like gorillas, a new study reveals.

More than 50 years ago, the idea that males exerted universal social power over females in all mammal species was challenged by the discovery that females dominated males in spotted hyenas and some lemur species.

Growing research suggests that these species are not exceptions, but rather represent one end of a continuum of power relations between the sexes, ranging from strictly masculine to strictly feminine. A recent study by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Turku reinforces this idea.

Research on mountain gorillas

“We wanted to investigate power relations between females and males in gorillas, as they exhibit extreme asymmetries, with male bias, in both body size and canine teeth, and are considered to exhibit the most male-biased power among great apes. At the same time, we knew that female gorillas can choose which males to mate with, a trait linked to greater female power in primates,” explained Nikos Smit, lead author and postdoctoral researcher.

Based on behavioral observations spanning three decades and four social groups of wild mountain gorillas, the study shows that nearly all females in multi-male groups dominate at least one male.

Females win conflicts

Although they weigh half as much as males, females win one in four confrontations and dominate one in four non-alpha males. One possible explanation is that alpha males support females to gain control over other males. Another is that non-alpha males defer to females to remain in the group.

Furthermore, female gorillas have priority access to certain food resources over dominant males, challenging the traditional idea that females and males compete for different resources.

"Our results showed that females were more likely to outrank adult males, both young and old, who are still much larger than adult females. This suggests that other mechanisms influence power relations between the sexes besides size and strength," said Martha Robbins, director of the research project in Bwindi.

Implications for evolution and ecology

A better understanding of male-female relationships in the most sexually dimorphic great ape has important implications for interpreting these interactions in humans and other species.

This study broadens the understanding of variation in power relations between the sexes in great apes, ranging from female bias in bonobos to male bias in chimpanzees. It provides a new evolutionary perspective beyond size and strength, challenging the idea that human patriarchy is a direct legacy of primates.

Ed. Note: The study in question was published July 30, 2025, in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research analyzed more than 20,000 social interactions recorded in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Bwindi National Park, Uganda, between 1994 and 2024. This park is home to approximately 459 individuals, representing around 43% of the global population of this subspecies, classified as endangered by the IUCN. The finding that between 23% and 27% of non-alpha males were dominated by females challenges the classic model of exclusively male dominance, which in primatology was associated with species with high sexual dimorphism (much larger and stronger males). Previous studies in bonobos (Pan paniscus) and Bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) have already shown that social support, alliances, and cooperation between females can compensate for physical disadvantages compared to males. In the case of gorillas, the researchers point out that alpha male mediation in favor of females could be linked to reproductive strategies and group cohesion, a pattern that has also been documented, although less frequently, in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).