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Gorilla Takes Opportunity To Pose For Cameras At Zoo

Gorilla Takes Opportunity To Pose For Cameras At Zoo

Go on, LAD.

Anonymous

Anonymous

Like many celebrities, animals are pictured a lot.

Photographers like to capture different species in their natural habitat, much like people who love snapping them in zoos on their camera phones.

So, as so many of us do, why can't these animals strut their stuff in front of the lens?

This Western Lowland gorilla named Pendeka decided that he can, and so while being snapped at the Detroit Zoo he played up to a camera, perfecting the tongue out pose you see in so many nightclubs.

Credit: Caters

He's usually kicking about with two Drill monkeys and ten chimpanzees and his two half brothers, Kongo-mbeli and Chipua, but on this occasion he made a move to centre stage.

"Curious and playful, middle-brother Pende is known for charging the glass while shrieking loudly and alarming visitor," a member of staff at the zoo about Pendeka.

Apes and humans share a large amount of genetic material, and we're only about 1.6 percent different from gorillas when you compare our nuclear DNA, so there's no surprise they get a bit big for their boots now and again.

However now and again we do have very similar emotional reactions.

Matabishi the gorilla was photographed walking up to her glum-looking keeper and sitting with him. Not only did the mammal hold his hand, she also hugged him to cheer him up.

Gorilla interacting with caretaker
Gorilla interacting with caretaker

Credit: Caters

Nelis Wolmarans captured the touching moment at the Senkwekwe Mountain Gorilla Orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.

He said: "The four mountain gorillas who are cared for at the centre have constant human company and develop very strong bonds with their carers.

"The deep emotional bond is heart-warming to see and the gorillas both draw comfort from and give comfort to their caretakers."

Gorilla hugging human caretaker
Gorilla hugging human caretaker

Credit: Caters

He says that it's clear that the gorilla and carer trust each other. He added: "You can see they are a constant source of comfort to each other, and there to support each other with friendship and unconditional love when they need it.

"I love capturing touching moments such as these."

But gorillas aren't the only species who exhibit human emotions. A photographer captured the moment a female monkey held her fallen child in her arms. The monkey wails in anguish as her baby lay motionless and limp.

Devastated monkey
Devastated monkey

Credit: Caters

It was taken in Jabalphur, India by 31-year-old Avinash Lodhi.

Avinash said: "This picture is very close to my heart because throughout my entire photography career I have never seen anything like this.

"It was so quick I didn't even know what was happening when I took the picture but as soon as I confirmed the image I was silent for an hour.

"This moment is rare, especially with animals."

Astonishingly, the baby monkey eventually got a second wind and made a full recovery.


Featured Image Credit: Caters