“Please don’t feed the animals”
That’s a common sight in any zoo you enter. No, it’s not because they’re selfish and want to do the work themselves… It’s mostly for safety reasons. If your cat or dog, when given food, starts coming back for more then imagine a a bigger, more unpredictable creature trying to get more food from you. They’re dangerous. See those teeth? Those claws?
Sadly, most humans don’t listen.
Out of sheer stubbornness or perhaps a need to impress friends, most zoo goers still do what they’ve been specifically told not to. The risks are all there. Germs, injuries, plus there’s no telling how an animal will react when given a chocolate bar. Imagine the consequences.
Luckily, there are some animals who are smart enough and bold enough to be the ones to tell their visitors that they should not be given food.
This huge Gorilla at a zoo in Miami is one. The big primate sitting on the grass communicates using sign language. Yup, THAT sign language. Pretty cool.
He’s telling some guy that he cannot be fed.
Listen to the reactions of the people when the big mammal communicates with his hands.
As amusing and entertaining as this may be, it’s pretty funny to think that the animal has to be the one to tell the humans watching him not to feed him. Now naturally someone just HAD to try.
Some dude threw a piece of orange at the Gorilla which of course the animal caught and ate. You can hear someone go,
“Please don’t feed him.”
Seriously. Signs everywhere with the animal itself saying not to. Oh well.
Gorilla beringei beringei are omnivores. Meaning they can eat what they want. With an average lifespan of 35 years, these powerful primates can stand four to six feet tall and weigh in at the 33-500 pound mark. They are considered endangered but they are increasing in population.
Despite the many stereotypes of Gorillas in cartoons and films, they are generally calm and non-aggressive unless disturbed. I mean any creature would be. They are generally gentle giants.
So don’t bother thinking of King Kong.
They are highly intelligent creatures as seen with this smart one. They also laugh, grieve, develop strong family bonds, make and use tools, and even think about the past and future. Those and so much more.
This big Gorilla goes on munching but the comments sum it up,
“Imagine getting told by the animals what the zoo rules are..”
Pretty simple, right? But man does have a habit of not following simple instructions. Here’s another one,
“The fact that the animals know the rules better than the humans is bothersome”
Maybe the Gorilla needs to learn how to speak English.
Clearly, sign language isn’t cutting it. This magnificent animal shares 98.3% of its genetic code with humans, which makes them our closest cousins. In fact, they do have a lot of human-like traits. Among all living creatures, they seem to be at the top in terms of being able to communicate with us.
So the next time you encounter one of these amazing mammals, do treat them with respect and follow the rules of the zoo or park you are in. You’re not just helping, you’re saving them.
See how this huge mammal uses sign language by clicking on the video below
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