What is the term for a male gorilla that is over 12 years old?

A male gorilla that is over 12 years old is commonly called a silverback.

The term comes from the saddle of gray or silver hair that develops across a mature male’s back. The change usually begins around the transition from adolescence to adulthood, although the exact age varies among individuals and populations.

Silverback describes maturity and appearance, not a separate gorilla species. A younger male is often called a blackback before developing the characteristic silver coloring. In many groups, a dominant silverback leads, protects, and helps organize females and younger gorillas, but not every silverback is necessarily the group’s dominant male.

The age boundary is approximate rather than a strict biological cutoff: sources commonly place the transition around 12 or 13 years, while full body size may come later. That makes Silverback the accepted quiz answer, even though age classifications can vary in scientific studies.