I'm the king of the Thinkers: Pensive gorilla strikes pose of famous meditative sculpture by Rodin

By CHRIS PARSONS

Striking a pose: Photographer Sophie Narses spotted the pensive ape in a thoughtful mood sitting just like Rodin's Thinker (right)

There comes a time in a chap’s life when he needs to get away from the crowd for a moment and ponder the universe.
And if he ends up being compared to Rodin’s The Thinker, who cares?
This young western lowland gorilla’s contemplative pose, reminiscent of the 1902 bronze-and-marble sculpture, was captured at the French animal park La Vallee des Singes. While most of his fellow zoo animals prefer to monkey around all day, the majestic ape pondered his existence just like the well-known sculpture depicting a man in sober meditation.

Deep in thought: Photographer Sophie said the ape held the thoughtful pose for several minutes before beatings its chest and moving away

Keen photographer Sophie Narses, 20, who captured the striking image, said: 'I went several times to see one particular family of gorillas, but I noticed that this teenage one was very playful and always testing the reactions he got from visitors.
'Whenever I went I would always train my camera on him hoping he would do something spectacular. And sure enough one day he did!'

Photographer Sophie Narses, who has been taking pictures for around five years, caught magic moment at La Vallie des Singes monkey park in Poitiers, France

Miss Narses added: 'On this occasion I expected him to just climb up a tree, but he looked at me as if to say watch this.
'He turned and took up the Thinker position. I took the picture and he screamed and beat his chest with his hands proudly.
'He held it for two or three minutes so I managed to get a couple of good, clear shots of him doing it.

source: dailymail

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The gorilla in my lounge: How a British worker adopted a dying baby gorilla and nursed him back to health in her own home

By JENNY STOCKS



Six month old baby Gorilla Okanda likes nibbling tables and making a mess with banana puree



Sarah Chapman felt the hungry baby stirring in her arms at around 2am and dragged herself, bleary-eyed, from sleep.

Propping herself up on the sofa where they had both fallen asleep, she made soothing noises and stroked the young one’s hair as he drank milk hungrily from his bottle.

But the doleful brown eyes staring up at her belonged not to a newborn baby but to Okanda, a six-month-old, 11lb gorilla with a penchant for nibbling tables and making a mess with banana puree.

Sarah became surrogate mother to the baby ape from Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire after he became too thin and malnourished feeding on his own mother’s milk.



A mother's touch: To begin with Vet Sarah Chapman had to bottle-feed Okanda at her home in Leicestershire every two hours



As the zoo’s specialist vet, the 34-year-old took on his full-time care, which meant nursing him back to health in her and her husband Julian’s nearby semi-detached home.

‘I’ve slept on the surgery floor many times watching a dog under treatment,’ says Sarah. ‘But I never imagined nursing a baby gorilla in my own lounge.’

Perhaps it was a small mercy that Sarah couldn’t have predicted the sleepless nights on the sofa, the medical procedures performed in the living room, and long days



Playtime: Slowly but surely Okanda is now becoming a hyperactive toddler



stuck inside the house with only a gorilla and the TV for company.

But now that Okanda — named after a national park in Western Africa — is on the mend and back at the zoo, I have come to Twycross to meet him.

On entering the one-bedroom bungalow (usually used as staff accommodation) near the zoo’s grounds where he is being cared for by a team of staff before being reintroduced to his family, Sarah is delighted to see her young charge again.



It's not my turn to change him: Okanda has to wear nappies around the house as he isn't house trained



Okanda is now making good progress, and the zoo’s main aim is to slowly try to reunite him with his pining mother, which they hope (but cannot be sure) will happen within eight weeks.

‘She has been searching for him, which is very sad to watch,’ says Sarah. ‘All the gorillas have been showing signs of tension, which is understandable.

‘Okanda is gorgeous and I miss having him around after being with him 24/7, but he’s not a pet. It will be incredible to see him back with his family, and hopefully one day he will become a 20st silverback with babies of his own.

‘That’s what all this has been for.’



source: dailymail

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Gorillas in a tryst! Tired Rigo has to lie down after mating with four females in a day following 16 years in a cage on his own

By MARTIN ROBINSON

Time for bed: Rigo sleeping at Melbourne Zoo after a roll in the hay with four females

It is a tough, and clearly tiring job, but somebody has got to do it.

Sleepy Rigo has just mated with four females in one day and takes on a very human pose afterwards to grab a well-earned snooze.

After 16 years on his own in a cage the 41-year-old silverback is being allowed to hang around with other primates at Melbourne Zoo in Australia.


Gentle: Julia sits with body-language just like a human as she stretches her legs in the midday sun

Keepers hope he will continue to get to know the females there better and produce offspring as they are all part of the endangered Western Lowland species.

And he has a bevy of beauties to choose from, including Julia, Yakini and Yuska, who despite their serious expressions are all keen to become a mum.

These beautiful photos, taken by Australian photographer Arthur Xanthropoulos, show the very gentle side to the animals, which have been hunted to the edge of extinction.


Gentle: Silverback Yuska is one of four females at the zoo and originally comes from central Africa

'He has been introduced to eight other gorillas, four of them females, so he can continue his species. The hope is the females may trigger his instinctive behaviour,' he said.

His mission is to show the human-like qualities of gorillas at Melbourne Zoo as part of his project, which he calls 97 Percent Human.

The zoo has housed gorillas since 1980 and most of them have been rescued from poachers and exotic animal smugglers.

Despite being legally protected the tiny gorilla population are often captured by criminal gangs and sold for huge sums to unscrupulous foreign zoos and private collectors.


Pondering: A thoughtful Yakini sits in the grass, and it is hoped she will help continue the endangered species by mating with Rigo

'My project, which I call 97 percent human was designed to capture the humanistic side of primates,' Arthur said.

'Many primate species share 97 percent their genetic make up with humans.
'But it wasn't simply about photographing these animals.

'More importantly it was about capturing a side to them that complimented that close genetic make up evident in their behaviour, expression and interactions.

'Ultimately my hope and intent has been to use these unique captures to create an environmental awareness of how endangered these animals are in the wild.

'The zoo environment allows me to do just that as the animals are readily accessible to the viewing public.'

source: dailymail

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If you wake up my baby I’ll go ape! The moment a 200lb gorilla cradles her newborn baby seconds after giving birth

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

I'll never let you go: Salome cradles her sleeping newborn at Bristol Zoo. The gorilla house has been temporarily closed to allow the apes to bond with the new arrival

Five years ago she became the first gorilla in the world to have fertility treatment.

So it’s little wonder Salome looks utterly content as she cradles her newborn – who arrived following nothing more complicated than a bit of monkeying around.

The western lowland gorilla gave birth on Tuesday, but the baby has not yet been named because Salome, 35, is so protective of her third child that she won’t loosen her grip for keepers to determine its sex.



Furry much in love: Salome cradling her newborn gorilla baby, still wet seconds after being born at Bristol Zoo Gardens yesterday. The baby's father Jock, is also bonding with the new arrival


I only have eyes for you: Hours later Salome is still cuddling her new baby, which is starting to open its eyes

John Partridge, senior curator of animals at Bristol Zoo, said: ‘It is still very early days, but Salome is a great mother and has been cradling and cuddling her baby affectionately.

‘Salome keeps the baby very close and we are keen to give the gorillas space, therefore it is still too early to determine the sex of the baby.’


Snoozy does it: All this mothering is a tiring business. Salome manages to get a few minutes shut eye while the baby nestles in close

Born at lunchtime yesterday, the gorilla baby is the latest addition to an international conservation breeding programme set up to protect this critically endangered species.

Both mother and baby appear to be doing well, and the Gorilla House has been closed to allow the gorillas, including the newborn's father Jock, time to bond with the new arrival.

Mr Partridge added: 'We are pleased to say that both Salome and the baby are doing well.


You still there? Mummy strokes her baby gently with one finger while she takes the opportunity to rest in the straw bedding


Gentle giant: Salome takes her tiny new addition outside for some fresh air while it clings on to her


Gorilla Island: The island where Bristol Zoo's gorillas are kept, and where the newest arrival was born

The gorillas at Bristol Zoo are part of an international conservation breeding programme for the western lowland gorilla, which is a critically endangered species.

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Thanks a bunch! Europe's oldest (and grumpiest) gorilla is distinctly unimpressed with his 50th birthday flowers

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Don't say it with flowers! Nico, Europe's oldest gorilla, was not keen on the roses he was given as a 50th birthday gift by staff at Longleat Safari Park, who think he was hoping for a bigger present

Expectations had been high. But judging by the look on the birthday boy’s face, these roses were something of a letdown.

But then what do you get the gorilla who has everything?

At the grand old age of 50, Nico the silverback is a rather pampered primate.

He lives in a classical-style brick house at Longleat safari park in Wiltshire where he luxuriates in central heating and evenings watching telly.


What do you get the gorilla that has everything? Nico makes sure staff know exactly how he feels about their latest idea for a birthday gift


Outside, there is plenty of room to roam and trees to climb. And there is a nice glass of Ribena and milk waiting for him every morning.

But the humans he has trained so well disappointed him when they handed over a bunch of flowers for his 50th.

The 32-stone primate looked unimpressed as he handled his present - which he promptly threw to the floor in disgust.


That's more like it: Nico was far happier with his banana shaped birthday cake and wolfed it down in seconds


Staff also believe Nico's ungrateful behaviour might also be due to the spoilt and pampered lifestyle he enjoys and that he might have been expecting a bigger present.

However, the hulking beast appeared more satisfied with his banana-shaped birthday cake which he devoured in seconds.

Nico is the famous safari park's oldest resident and is the second oldest male silverback gorilla in captivity in the world.


I Hate Flowers! Nico is the third oldest gorilla in captivity in the world, and the oldest in Europe, and staff at Longleat say his pampered lifestyle has made him grumpy


Nico arrived at Longleat soon after the park opened in 1966, from a zoo in Switzerland.

The oldest gorilla in the world in captivity is Colo, a female who was born in 1956. She lives at Columbus Zoo, Ohio, USA.

The oldest male gorilla in the world is Ozoum who lives in Atlanta Zoo and was born a few months before Nico in 1961.

source: dailymail

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Aping the pros: Silverback with artistic temperament uses honey-covered video camera to film himself

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Preparation: Zoo staff cover the gorilla-proof box in tasty oats and honey


This cheeky ape curiously peers into the lens as he turns the tables and takes this high definition video - of himself.

Silverback gorilla Ya Kwanza, 27, is seen playfully filming himself with a camera hidden inside an indestructible box, which is covered in oats and honey.

The primate repeatedly holds the device up to his face and pokes the lens at Durrell Wildlife Park, Jersey.



Hair we go: Ya Kwanza is very curious about the bright yellow box


Snapping to it: The primate repeatedly holds the device up to his face and pokes the lens


But when it came to handing back the footage, Ya Kwanza went bananas and cheekily hurled the box out of his enclosure.

Expert Jon Stark, who has been taking care of critically-endangered western lowland gorillas for four years, came up with the idea after wondering what life from a primate's perspective looked like.

He said: ‘The animals here at the wildlife park regularly receive enrichment treats which encourage them to forage for food as much as they would in the wild and help to keep them mentally stimulated.


Eye eye: Ya Kwanza peers into the lens, giving a clear idea of what it would be like to come face to face with him


Hard to stomach: The gorilla films himself chewing a plastic card bearing the zoo's logo


Stubborn: At first Ya Kwanza doesn't want to give the box back and appears to pull an angry face at zoo staff


Lift-off: The huge silverback eventually launches the box back into the hands of the staff, so they can examine the footage


‘In an attempt to really get up close and personal we decided to install an HD camera in Ya Kwanza's daily enrichment device.’

Ya Kwanza will soon be leaving the island - where he has lived since 1993 - after failing to breed for eight years.

The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has been famous for gorillas since 1986, when Jambo stood guard over a young boy who had fallen into his enclosure.

Ya Kwanza is already a celebrity after becoming the first gorilla ever to be born in Australia and the first of his species to have been conceived through artificial insemination.




source : dailymail

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The gorilla in our midst: The enchanting story of the couple who adopted baby Digit (and still let her share the duvet 13 years on)

By KATHRYN KNIGHT

Want a bite? Pierre Thivillon offers the two-year-old Digit a snack. She has been part of the family for 13 years


Like most devoted parents, Pierre and Eliane Thivillon know their 13-year-old’s little idiosyncrasies inside out. She is partial to a milky coffee and a brioche for breakfast, while her favourite evening meal is a portion of leeks in a creamy sauce.

She prefers sparkling water to still, and absolutely loves her sleep, complaining vociferously if she gets woken up too early.

Yes, she has her moody moments — what teenager doesn’t? — but, in general, she has a calm and placid nature.


Sweet dreams: Eliane Thivillon and Digit catch 40 winks. If Pierre rises early, the gorilla will often clamber into his place to snuggle alongside his wife


Which is just as well because not only does their ‘little girl’ weigh 80k (12st 8lb), but she is covered in fur, and, were she so minded, she could kill her ‘parents’ with just one over-zealous hug. Not that there’s much risk of that.

Because while Digit may be a fully-grown gorilla, for the past 13 years the Thivillons have raised her as lovingly as if she were their own daughter at their home in the hills west of Lyon, France.

And their bond, they insist, is as close and loving as that of any conventional (human) family.

While Digit spends her days swinging, scratching and parading around a roomy enclosure, each evening she tootles across a covered walkway into Pierre and Eliane’s bedroom where the house-trained gorilla hunkers down for the night alongside them, snuggled under a duvet.



Digit at one-month. She weighed just two kilos (4lb 6oz), and her life hung in the balance as the Thivillons tried to nurse her back to strength


If Digit is thirsty, she has no qualms about shaking Pierre awake to get her a drink of water, and if he rises first she will often clamber into his place to snuggle up alongside his wife.

Once everyone is up and about, this rather unusual trio eat breakfast together as a family before taking a morning stroll.


Monkey business: The eight-month-old Digit playing with her favourite cuddly toy


It is an extraordinary situation; one that is believed to be unique in the world — and little wonder. Gorillas may be wonderful creatures to look at, but given their size and strength, not many of us would fancy keeping one as a family pet.

Not so the Thivillons.

‘With Digit, I am never afraid,’ says Pierre.

‘I trust her implicitly, and that goes both ways — she has enormous confidence in us too. If she gets a splinter in her hand she will come to me to remove it.

‘The other day she had pineapple between her teeth and held her mouth open so I could floss it out with a stick. She has never shown a moment of aggression towards us. She just likes us being with her.’


Urbane gorilla: Digit aged four. The Thivillons have not had a night out for 13 years as they won't leave her alone


Digit with Pierre and Eliane today. Married for 43 years, and with no children of their own, the Thivillons have dedicated their lives to animal conservation


Digit's affection for Pierre is immediately apparent


'Just because Digit has this wonderful bond with me and Eliane doesn't mean she is sympathetic to humans in general,' said Pierre

source: dailymail

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A guy and his gorilla: Huge beast treated like one of the family by zoo owner

By EMILY ALLEN

Big love: Pierre Thivillon, owner of the zoo of Saint-Martin-la-Plaine, gets a kiss from adopted gorilla Digit


To describe your child as a gorilla is a bit rude to say the least.

But for French zoologists Pierre and Elaine Thivillon, who own a zoo in Saint-Martin la-Plaine near Lyon, this is exactly what their 'little one' is.

They have fostered a gorilla called Digit who was rejected by her mother and they now treat her as their own.


Right at home: Pierre and Elaine Thivillon pose with Digit at their bedroom window


In these adorable pictures she is pictured spending time with her 'parents' and even giving her 'father' a loving peck on the lips.

She is clearly very comfortable in their company and despite her enormous size and strength, the couple obviously have not the slightest fear of her.


Time for a chat: A male gorilla at the zoo called Euro looks longingly at Mr Thivillon


The unusual addition to their family was born at the zoo in 1998, but her mother did not know how to breastfeed her.

The couple stepped in to bottle feed her but her health took a turn for the worse and she underwent two life-saving operations.

Digit, who weighs 80 kilos, could live for up to 50 years.


Chilling: Mr Thivillon and Digit appear to be deep in conversation. The Thivillons adopted the gorilla when her mother was unable to feed her


source: dailymail

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King of the b-boys: Calgary Zoo's 'breakdancing gorilla' is the latest Internet star

By BRIAN CLARK HOWARD


Bust a move: Zola, a nine-year-old Western lowland gorilla at the Calgary Zoo, shows his fancy footwork


Who needs to be king of the jungle when you can be king of the b-boys? This breakdancing gorilla must have learned his slick moves in New York.

Nine-year-old Zola, one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo in Canada, has become the latest Internet video star, thanks to a YouTube clip that shows him stomping and spinning, as if he were breakdancing.

It's a welcome change for Canada from the Internet video clips of mass rioting in Vancouver after the local team was beaten in the Stanley Cup hockey final.


Zola came to Calgary from the Bronx Zoo in New York City about two years ago. He 'loves to play in water'


Zola was moved to the Calgary Zoo two years ago along with three other young gorillas from the Bronx Zoo in New York City.

New York, of course, is where breakdancing - or b-boying, as it is often popularly known - was born.

According to his current keepers, Zola 'loves to play in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis'.


Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'


Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine told Metro that when he first received Zola, he was told the young animal liked to splash around.

Mr Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'.


Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan, to save the species


On Friday, June 17 at about 3:30 pm, the Calgary Zoo posted a short video on YouTube and their Facebook page of Zola playing in a puddle of water.

Within 72 hours, the video had been viewed more than 15,000 times.

Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Both the Western and Eastern species of gorillas are highly endangered, thanks to poaching and habitat loss in their native central Africa.


Hit: Within 72 hours, the video of Zola 'break dancing' had been viewed more than 15,000 times


Zola out: After putting on an amazing show, the gorilla heads out the door into another part of the enclosure


Some gorillas continue to be taken from the wild for the 'pet' trade and some zoos, though most reputable zoos now source their animals from captive breeding.

Gorillas are threatened by the 'bushmeat' trade as well, in which hungry people living in their vicinity hunt them for meat.

Gorillas are the closest living relatives of humans next to two chimpanzee species.
Gorillas share 95-99 per cent of their DNA with human beings, depending on how you measure it.

But one thing remains certain: few human beings can break dance as well as Zola.


Break Dancing Gorilla at the Zoo


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The gorillas in the midst of an Atkins diet plan: When fruit is scarce they load up on protein

By FIONA MACRAE

When fruit was thin on the trees, the gorillas gorged on protein-rich leaves, meaning that protein accounted for 30 per cent of their calories


Some might look like they could do with losing a few pounds, but it is unlikely your average gorilla has much idea about slimming.

That said, researchers have found a group of great apes are unwittingly following the Atkins diet.

A study shows that when fruit is scarce, mountain gorillas follow a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, similar to the Atkins plan followed by slimmers worldwide.

When fruit is plentiful, their diet is still protein-rich, but is more similar to that recommended by heart charities for health.

The observation comes from researchers who spent a year watching gorillas at Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Royal Society journal Biology Letters reports.



When fruit was thin on the trees, the gorillas gorged on protein-rich leaves, meaning that protein accounted for 30 per cent of their calories.

But between February and March and from June to July, when fruit was easy to find, protein made up just 16 per cent of their diet.

Jessica Rothman, of the City University of New York, said the balance during fruit periods was close to the current recommendations of the American Heart Association.

‘By contrast, when leaves dominated diets, 31 per cent of total energy is consumed as protein, a value close to the upper energy limit recommended for humans and similar to high-protein weight loss diets.’

The Atkins diet, which promoted swapping white bread and potatoes for fry-ups and steaks, was followed by millions.

However, it fell out of favour after being dogged by side-effects such as constipation and claims it could increase the risk of heart disease.

source: dailymail

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Third tragedy hits London Zoo's gorillas: First two males die...

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Tragic: Tiny, seen here taking his first steps with his mother's help, died after a tussle with new silverback male Kesho


London Zoo's infant gorilla, nicknamed 'Tiny' by keepers, has died, it was announced today.

The development is the latest tragedy to hit the group of gorillas who live at the world famous site, in Regent's Park, after the deaths of two adult males in recent years.

Tiny, who was seven-months old, was the first gorilla born at the zoo in 22 years. He died after being injured by new silverback male, Kesho.


Careful: London Zoo had hoped the male gorilla would be a surrogate parent to the baby whose biological father died last year


Keepers had hoped Kesho would be a surrogate parent to the youngster after the death of his biological father Yeboah.

They had hoped the new silverback, who arrived last August, would bring balance and stability to the group following the tragedies.

While he had been gradually introduced to two of the females, Effie and Zaire, keepers waited until they were confident of a successful introduction to Tiny and his mother Mjukuu.

The first meeting on Wednesday ‘went very well’, according to the The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), but at a second attempt on Thursday Kesho asserted his authority.


New kid on the block: Staff had hoped Kesho would accept the new baby and integrate with the three female gorillas who live at the zoo


During a scuffle between the whole group, Tiny’s arm was seriously injured.

The gorillas were immediately separated, and the baby was taken to the on-site vet hospital, where it was confirmed his arm was broken and a three-hour operation to pin it began.

When vets brought him off the anaesthetic he was unable to breathe by himself, and vets suspected he had also sustained internal injuries during the scuffle.


Male gorilla Yeboah (left) died suddenly from diabetes in March 2010 – just five months after arriving at the zoo while his predecessor Bobby (right) also died unexpectedly in December 2008 following a heart attack


‘Everyone here is utterly devastated. Although we had tried to be prepared for the worst, we are all completely heartbroken by this.’

Keepers returned the baby’s body to Mjukuu so she could come to terms with his death.



Habitat:The group live at Gorilla Kingdom at London Zoo which has been designed to keep its inhabitants entertained


source: dailymail

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