Living with Gorillas

Gorillas are gentle, intelligent creatures with an unjustified reputation for aggression. The roaring and chest-beating of the giant male silverback presents a most intimidating spectacle, but is mostly done for effect - to ward off intruders who threaten his family group.

Primatologist Magdalena Bermejo is carrying out groundbreaking research into gorilla behaviour. Her first challenge is to find, with the help of expert local trackers, a community of western lowland gorillas. Guided by crushed leaves, half-eaten plant stems and dung, the team track down a gorilla group, just outside the village of Lossi in the Congo Basin.

Magdalena and her husband, German, begin their painstaking quest - braving swarms of sweat bees and stinging ants - to get to know the gorillas. They focus on one male in particular, a 350-pound silverback nicknamed Apollo, and his family group. The gorillas slowly come to trust their human visitors. The youngsters are the least shy and even start playing up to the cameras. Older females are more retiring.