Even Seattle's gorilla families have teenage trouble

Driving the news: The western lowland gorilla, born at Woodland Park Zoo in March 2020, is entering the stage when young males naturally begin separating from their birth families, curator of mammalogy Martin Ramirez tells Axios.

• That means it's time for Kitoko to join a bachelor group at another accredited zoo, said Ramirez.
• His last day on view at Woodland Park Zoo is Aug. 31.

What's happening: Kitoko has always been adventurous, energetic and playful, said Arden Robert, the zoo's animal care manager for primates, but lately he's been getting rowdier and pushing his weight around, especially with the group's females.

• As young males mature, the group's silverback — in this case, Kitoko's father, Kwame — may begin viewing them as potential competition and, in the wild, eventually drive them from the family group.
• Once a young male is no longer nursing or dependent, Ramirez said, "even the mom is like, 'You know, I'm kind of done with you.'"

The big picture: There's an evolutionary reason for the eviction: Sending young males away helps prevent them from mating with close relatives.

• They may join bachelor groups, where they learn social skills that can eventually help them become silverbacks leading families of their own.

What's next: Six years after baby Kitoko gave a locked-down Seattle something to smile about, he's ready to find his own troop.