First Boredom, Then Gorilla Play Shufai’s Day Takes a Turn

Gorilla Shufai leans back, resting against the bridge straps that were reinstalled. He seems a bit bored, but then things take a turn.
He throws himself onto the ground, holding onto the bridge, but almost immediately gets up again. Not only that, but he sniffs the bridge and then uses it as a hammock. After a minute, he gets back down onto the ground.
His mother, Ozala, comes close. He quickly gets up to stay out of her way. Ozala grabs the stick and pulls it away, but surprisingly, not to eat it! If you know Ozala, you'll understand why this is even more surprising—she loves her food. She squeezes under the bridge, rolls onto her back, and moves closer to her son. She puts her hand on his back, and Shufai starts to wrestle with his mum, who is quite happy to let him play. He rolls over onto her belly. They wrestle, and then Shufai is seen sitting on his mother. His behaviour may suggest an attempt at mating, but it's important to note that Shufai is castrated. I did some research on this, and there is more information below.
He gets off his mum, and they both wrestle again.

Given that Shufai was castrated at a young age and is now nearly 8 years old, it's likely that his behaviour is influenced by his upbringing within the troop and the social dynamics he's observed over time. Castration at a young age would have significantly reduced his testosterone levels, which usually limits the development of sexual behaviours and reduces the likelihood of him being seen as a threat by the silverback.
However, even with low testosterone, some social and instinctual behaviours might still manifest, especially as he grows older and becomes more aware of the interactions within the troop. These behaviours might not be as intense or as hormonally driven as they would be in an intact male, but they could still occur due to learned behaviour or residual instincts.
The silverback's lack of intervention suggests that Shufai is not perceived as a significant threat or rival. Since Shufai has been part of the troop from a young age and likely doesn't exhibit the full range of typical male behaviours due to his castration, the silverback might tolerate his presence and actions. The social bonds and hierarchy within gorilla troops are complex, and the silverback might recognise that Shufai does not pose a challenge to his dominance.