Funeral for a gorilla

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1499280,w-brookfield-zoo-gorilla-032709.article

Brookfield Zoo gorilla dies

March 27, 2009

BY STEFANO ESPOSITIO Staff Reporter

Like any strong matriarch, Alpha kept a close eye on the younger ones and wasn’t afraid to put her foot down.

Still, she suffered from the inevitable curses of old age — arthritis, cataracts and decaying teeth.

And when the 48-year-old Brookfield Zoo gorilla — the zoo’s oldest — died Thursday, her ape family said goodbye with somber reverence.

The zoo keepers allowed the zoo’s seven surviving gorillas to spend 20 minutes alone with Alpha, who was euthanized after it was discovered she had late-stage kidney failure.

During the "Gorilla wake," some of the other females came up to Alpha and touched her body. Ramar, the group's silverback male, sat close to Alpha, watching as the other gorillas approached.

Nadaya, one of Alpha’s eight great-grandchildren, made a grieving sound that resembled a “low, soft hoot,” keepers who were nearby said.

[hlthe2b]

1. With large lump in throat....

RIP, our dear cousin! Such a touching scene described.


So nearly human-- the irony should not be lost on any of us that she was spared the pain and suffering at the end of "treatable" life. We, on the other hand....

[C......N......C]

2. I had a customer that was a large animal vet. He took care of a gorilla

and told me some interesting stories of how their personalities were just like a human child. I used to be a hunter until my mid 20's. And I don't care what other people do, but as I have gotten older it is hard for me to kill anything, including insects. I amazed at the intricacies and mystery of all life.

[luvspeas]

3. The first time I ever saw a gorilla was at Brookfield...

The exhibit is set up like a big hill and the viewing area goes around at eye level to the very top of the hill, so if a gorilla sits at the top, you are actually very close to them. When I was about 8 or 9, I went to Brookfield and lying at the very top of the hill was a mother gorilla with her baby. It was a young baby too. It looked just like an 18 month old kid. Mom laid on her back, and held the baby suspended over her with her two hands holding the baby's arms, and one leg holding the baby's leg. With her fourth leg, mom started tickling the baby! And the baby squirmed and laughed and mom was laughing too (yes). It was such a human thing to do that to this day, it still hits me and I appreciate Brookfield and the gorillas there so much for showing me that at such a young age.

I'm not fan of zoos, but I go sometimes because where else am I gonna see a gorilla? Last time I was at the DC zoo the gorillas looked like they were waiting to go to the chair. I've been to other zoos since then, and I have never seen the gorillas interact and be as alert and busy as they always seem to be at Brookfield. The habitat lends itself to feeling big and with lots of places to hide or not. It was no surprise that Brookfield was where the gorilla helped the boy who fell into the exhibit. It was also heartening to read that Alpha had only left the zoo for 2 years. I would think that having a stable troop would be helpful. All the gorillas at the DC zoo were on various loan to see if they would mate. Sounded very creepy. Also, another article says Brookfield started the gorilla wake and had done it before.

[dem629]

4. Question for someone who might know...

There's a quote in the article that confuses me: “I remember when Alpha and Beta were chimps and they’d walk into my office..."

Are young gorillas called "chimps"? Hmmm.

Also, I can't resist pointing out that the quote sounds like a "two gorillas walk into an office" joke.

[applegrove]

5. My brother in law went to the Toronto zoo wearing a black fleece and black

baseball cap. At the Gorilla enclosure the silverback displayed and got agressive. The staff told my brother in law (6'5")to undo his coat and take off his hat. Sure enough the silverback relaxed and went back to minding his own business.