The natural world has lost one of its most preeminent figures this week as Titus, known as the Gorilla King, succumbed to old age and died on September 14, 2009.

NATURE producer Jill Clarke gives an update on the leadership shakeup in Titus's gorilla family.

While his prolific mating is a clear sign of the king's success, this unique gorilla's extensive family tree grew out of tragic circumstances.

NATURE retraces the life of Titus, silverback leader, from birth to present reign, spanning a tumultuous period in the history of a species and a nation in "The Gorilla King."

Recent challenges to Titus's rule by his rival, Kuryama, have the entire group of gorillas on edge.

Submit your own caption for our photo of a gorilla foot.

In 1974, researchers witnessed something few have ever seen: a newborn gorilla in the wild.

Decades of research, tracking gorillas day by day through the Virunga Mountains, has shown that they are basically gentle creatures with individual personalities and rich social lives.

It was from a small hut in Rwanda that researcher and conservationist Dian Fossey observed that while gorillas may sometimes act tough, they are really gentle giants.