A woman just learned not to laugh too loudly at the Chicago Zoo’s male gorilla.
TikTok user Zachary (@zachary_francisco) posted an interaction with a Chicago Zoo gorilla. In the video, a woman apparently chuckles at the giant ape, who appears to tap the durable glass in response. The gorilla then moved and dug holes in the enclosure.
The video, which has been viewed 2.2 million times since Tuesday, reflects a lighter moment during a visit to the Chicago Zoo. However, commenters pointed out how unethical it is to keep animals in zoos for their entire lives.
Which gorilla are Zachary and his team interacting with?
Technically, there are three male gorillas at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo. it In May, the new exhibit welcomed two new gorillas named Shano and Barney. The brothers were transferred from Zoo Miami and currently reside in the James and Elizabeth Bramson Tropical Forest exhibit. This is separate from multi-generational groups. Another western lowland gorilla, Jontu, lives with five females.
Shango is very stoic and often raises his middle finger to his guests without any obvious expression. One commenter shared an encounter with the gorillas at Brookfield, saying: “We’ve always been finger-influenced at Brookfield Zoo lol.” Due to an accident during his fight with Barney, Shango’s middle finger couldn’t fully bend, so his expression seemed calm but a little weird.
In contrast, Barney has no such distinguishing features, which can help distinguish them. It’s unclear whether Zachary was filming Shango, Barney, or Jonto, as the bachelor and multigenerational colony habitats have very similar facilities to each other.
Why do gorillas crash into glass?
According to some commenters, gorillas at Brookfield and other zoos “hate having their pictures taken.” They often turn away from the glass to avoid being seen.
It’s more likely that the gorilla hates the sound coming from behind the glass rather than the picture itself.
“Because gorillas, especially male gorillas, are very protective of their space, it’s important to respect them when visiting. Remember, they’ve just moved in and this is a big change for them! Just like it takes time for us to adjust after the transition, gorillas are still learning what it’s like to live in their new habitat. To respect a gorilla’s territory at the zoo, please avoid slamming or banging on the glass and try to move around the space in a quiet, calm manner,” the Brookfield Zoo said of the new bachelor troop.
Although the guests did not knock on the glass at the time, the noise outside may have disturbed the gorilla, causing it to knock on the glass and run further into the enclosure.
Why do viewers say zoos are “cruel”?
Some viewers took to the comments section to share why they would never consider going to the zoo.
“I don’t go to the zoo, it’s cruel,” one viewer said.
Another added: “This makes me sad.”
People have been debating the ethics of zoos or zoos since their inception. The animals are said to live extremely unhappy and boring lives in their enclosures. This is because they are much smaller than the environment in which they normally grow.
The James and Elizabeth Bramson Tropical Forest exhibition is particularly extensive. With three acres to explore, Shango and Barney are larger than most habitats in the country. However, multi-generational gorilla groups often travel across “home ranges” that exceed 1,000 acres.
However, one commenter added an interesting point: “Before anyone starts complaining; most of these animals are either born in zoos and lack the basic instincts needed to survive in the wild, or are injured and rescued and rehabilitated, but unable to be released. Both Lincoln Park and Brookfield Zoo are AZA accredited and participate in the Species Survival Plan, which helps breed populations of critically endangered animals so they can be reintroduced into the wild and rebuild populations.”
Brookfield Zoo is AZA accredited and participates in the Species Survival Plan. Shango and Barney were born at the San Francisco Zoo. Due to their previous captivity, they will not be released into the wild. Likewise, Jontu was born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and is unlikely to thrive if released into the wild.
AllHipHop reached out to Brookfield Zoo’s press team via email and Zachary via TikTok private message for comment.
@zachary_francisco We watched him eat it for a while and I guess he got tired of us saying how cute LMAOOOO #chicago #gorilla #lincolnparkzoo #madaf #backhand ♬ Original Voice – Zach
