Want to be King Kong? Keep practising son! Baby silverback tries to impress by thumping his chest A gorilla angling to take over the bossâ€™s job canâ€™t show any sign of weakness â€" after all, itâ€™s a jungle out there full of rival contenders. So when Birungi the 18-month-old silverback-in-waiting gave a chest-thumping display of prowess to fellow primates in his group, he used every grandstanding trick his dad, the current boss, had taught him. Until, that is, he fell out of his tree. Oh well. Plenty of time to practise before Birungi has to step up to lead the 12-strong troop when dad hands over the crown. So you think IÂ¿m just a little cutie, eh? Well, take a look at these teeth! I'm pretty good at chest-thumping too... I've seen my dad doing it loads of times Oh no, I've blown it! After a misjudged attempt to leap into a tree, Birungi is brought to earth Photographer Roger Allen captured the juvenile aspirantâ€™s first show of leadership ambition after the Daily Mail was given rare access to the group in Southern Ugandaâ€™s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Birungi, a miniature version of his fearsomely magnificent father Mishaya, first did his best to appear ferocious by baring those dangerous looking incisors before boxing the air. Next he performed the classic gorilla domination display (itâ€™s surely on page one of the silverback leadership manual) â€" beating his chest and letting out a whoop. Ouch, that hurt! All dignity now lost, Birungi crashes into the undergrowth... ... and breaks his fall with a somersault that was never in the original plan Oh well... I might be ready to take over from dad one day, but perhaps not for a while For a finale, he demonstrated his prowess by leaping into a tree. Alas, the branch he chose was barely capable of supporting a bird, let alone a six-stone gorilla. Result: a spectacular fall from grace that ended with Birungi crashing to earth and tumbling helplessly around on the forest floor. Oh, the humiliation! The pain of crushed pride (and a bruised backside) is etched on the young primate's face I give up: Birungi the 18 month old gorilla stops showing off in the Bwindi Impenenetrable Forest in Uganda There are fewer than 400 gorillas in Bwindi and their habitat is increasingly under threat from war and oil exploration. Several times a year, former zookeeper Harriet Whitmarsh from North London â€" daughter of F1â€™s McLaren Racing team boss Martin Whitmarsh â€" leads parties into the reserve to see the gorillasâ€™ plight, raising money for Ugandan children and other good causes. Given the gorillasâ€™ perilous situation, Birungi will carry great responsibility if he does become lead silverback. But by then he will surely have learned how to be top of the tree. OK kid, impress us: Birungi's mother Muliza looks on as he begins his routine The mother of Birungi, Muliza, is one of 408 gorillas left in the forest in the south of Uganda