Thank you for these suggested prompts, which I will consider carefully in the days to come.
I will share one right now, though, that has brought me great joy of late.
Some readers here have probably noticed that I serve an educational function at a zoo, particularly in connection to non-human primates.
What we hope for in these contexts is that people understand that we have the privilege in these settings of observing animals behaving naturally but that we should not be trying to intrude on them in a way that distracts them from natural behaviors. Distractions would include things like tapping on glass, trying to provoke them with our own hooting or chest beating, eating in front of them, or the one that I think is saddest, trying to get them interested in your smartphone.
That said, a particular animal sometimes has contrary plans.
The 425 pound silverback who has seen me several times a week for a few years now has taken to sneaking up on me when I am turned away from him talking to a visitor. He stands quietly about a foot away from me until I notice him there. This has a comical appearance to guests, I believe, because I am gray haired and 5'2."
I think, with joy, that I have been accepted as part of his family.
I love that. One time, a very long time ago at the National Zoo in DC, the guide told us to sit at the window with our back to it, and a gorilla, if in the mood to be social, would come sit back to back with you. Sure enough, one did. That was the coolest thing ever.
To be honest, that isn't typically being social with the human. If an adult gorilla is habituated to people, that is, they don't think there is any threat to their troops, they will often sit back to the window so they can ignore spectators and watch their families. They look very imposing from behind!
Little gorillas are exceptions. Toddler-aged gorillas will play games with little humans of their size, particularly if they don't have other little gorillas in the troop.
As you said this was a long time ago for you, you might have encountered animals who were nursery-reared and therefore more imprinted really on humans than on their own species. When I was a keeper assistant years back with orangutans, one of our nursery reared seniors when she saw me on the 'people' side of the glass window would hurry on over and hit the glass as a request to peer into my ear. She knew too that I would invite guests who could get into their knees to offer their ears for inspection as well. Another female of her same age hit the glass to demand that visitors open their handbags for her or show her their jewelry.
These were charming apes, but these are not natural behaviors and not encouraged any more.
Thank you for these suggested prompts, which I will consider carefully in the days to come.
I will share one right now, though, that has brought me great joy of late.
Some readers here have probably noticed that I serve an educational function at a zoo, particularly in connection to non-human primates.
What we hope for in these contexts is that people understand that we have the privilege in these settings of observing animals behaving naturally but that we should not be trying to intrude on them in a way that distracts them from natural behaviors. Distractions would include things like tapping on glass, trying to provoke them with our own hooting or chest beating, eating in front of them, or the one that I think is saddest, trying to get them interested in your smartphone.
That said, a particular animal sometimes has contrary plans.
The 425 pound silverback who has seen me several times a week for a few years now has taken to sneaking up on me when I am turned away from him talking to a visitor. He stands quietly about a foot away from me until I notice him there. This has a comical appearance to guests, I believe, because I am gray haired and 5'2."
I think, with joy, that I have been accepted as part of his family.
Wow, if that isn't a compliment, I don't know what is. How gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.
I love that. One time, a very long time ago at the National Zoo in DC, the guide told us to sit at the window with our back to it, and a gorilla, if in the mood to be social, would come sit back to back with you. Sure enough, one did. That was the coolest thing ever.
To be honest, that isn't typically being social with the human. If an adult gorilla is habituated to people, that is, they don't think there is any threat to their troops, they will often sit back to the window so they can ignore spectators and watch their families. They look very imposing from behind!
Little gorillas are exceptions. Toddler-aged gorillas will play games with little humans of their size, particularly if they don't have other little gorillas in the troop.
As you said this was a long time ago for you, you might have encountered animals who were nursery-reared and therefore more imprinted really on humans than on their own species. When I was a keeper assistant years back with orangutans, one of our nursery reared seniors when she saw me on the 'people' side of the glass window would hurry on over and hit the glass as a request to peer into my ear. She knew too that I would invite guests who could get into their knees to offer their ears for inspection as well. Another female of her same age hit the glass to demand that visitors open their handbags for her or show her their jewelry.
These were charming apes, but these are not natural behaviors and not encouraged any more.