Yesterday I posted about my thoughts and feelings regarding my recent trip to the Calgary Zoo and how conflicted and uneasy I felt about the animals living there and the real purpose of a zoo.
This post I going to talk about one specific interaction I had and what I took away from that encounter.
Gorilla's and monkeys are similar to humans in many ways, emotions, family bonding, aggression and dominates just to name a few. As I was touring the zoo I came across the Gorilla habit. This area was fairly large and had six or seven gorilla's housed inside. Most were laying about or sleeping however one was very active.
This particular gorilla was walking around with a piece of burlap wrapping itself in it and tossing it around in the same fashion a child might with a blanket. I though this might make for a good image so I moved from the upper viewing area to a lower one to photograph this particular behavior. Unfortunately I missed the shot and by the time I got there it had put the cloth down and was munching on some grass.
I managed to capture a couple of images before it got up looked at me through the glass and then hammered the glass with its fist. I am not an ape expert but I definitely felt the utter dominance and "don't take my picture" feel from this action.
I wasn't afraid but I got the message. Immediately after there was a man watching what had just unfolded around the corner from where I was and the gorilla ran right over to him and stood in a very dominate stance towards him.
This whole situation and the aftermath really struck a cord with me and my views on animals in captivity. I started to question every behavior that I saw and what was the cause. Was this Gorilla just asserting its dominance? Was this a reaction to being put on display? I don't know but either way the entirety of the situation really caused me to think about everything that I had seen.
Monkey's watching monkey's...
I'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings.
Thanks for reading and I'll be posting more on this as the week progresses.
Scott
For more stories and images - http://www.scottstevensonphotography.ca/
As you know as your one of my followers, I’m a zookeeper. Looking at your lovely photographs of the animal in question he/she looks healthy, potentially an older ape, and the encounter you witnessed i believe is a sign of dominance. They are so like us in many ways and get agitated very easily. Usually zoos have one way glass for large apes for this reason. They read our facial expressions so much more easier than us that if you were smiling for example, he might have seen that as a dominance sign and told you off for it. It’s hard to tell by what you have written as I wasn’t there. I hope that you can see why we have animals in captivity these days, the wild isn’t safe and there is hardly anything for these animals to go back to as we have destroyed it. Captive species are an insurance policy for the future and for reintroduction programs- zoos don’t breed for fun there are species cooridinators that control breeding populations of animals. Sadly as a species, we have destroyed everything on this planet and will continue to do so that these amazing creatures will continue to suffer. Even being a keeper I don’t wish for my animals to be in captivity but as long as I ensure that they are well fed, have the best veterinary care, have a wonderful life exhibiting the same behaviours as their wild cousins, I can keep them busy with enrichment and also help bring new life into the world to save a species then I can go home each night without worrying. I hate it when zoos are tarnished yet no one is willing to actually do something about it. Frustrating to say the least. Anyway, love the photos looking forward to seeing more.
Love that you left a comment, thank you. Great to read.
Incredible post continue going brother dont know were gorilla originating from however dont think it has an association with human .
Very interesting post.
Great photos you made here! I also like your tag/logo :>
Zoos are really disgusting. I am all stand against that kind of animal captivity. Why we make them amuse us? Curious scientists already going to their natural habitats to observe their behaviour etc. Why is captivity then? Amusement for people? This is sick. They should have been closed down for good. I feel sad and angry at the same time when this subject comes on table. Damn.
Nature is really beautiful,, and you are lucky being there and seeing all that.
It is great post. I am still upset that we have places like zoo's were animals are kept in small places far away from the natural habitats...I know far away from perfection.
I'm really torn on the issue of zoos. On the one hand, I believe the majority of zoo employees genuinely care deeply about the animals they care for and want them to have the best lives possible. On the other hand, no zoo can every replicate the wild and therefore the animals aren't living the way they were designed to live.
I love Gorillas, and would love to have the opportunity to see them in nature. They are so smart that I truly believe that those we observe in captivity can't reflect true gorilla behavior. It would be like judging human beings by only watching inmates in a jail yard... great photos though, the light makes them look so pure. Thanks for sharing!
the amazing photography ... you are very good at this
Great post keep going bro dont know were gorilla coming from but dont think it has a relationship with human .
Great!!!!
Wow you have a gift for this😍
I think the gorilla didn't like you taking camera of it...... maybe that why it has to leave the spot where you are to another spot.....
Great photos and content!!
Follow for follow :) upvote for upvote lets earn money
The Apes don't like taking pictures, it steals there self esteem
Excellent publication, a pleasure in reading and greeting you, follow me to be in constant communication I also hope that my posts can be of great help. success!
What beautiful pictures, I know that the best friend of man is the dog, but despite this I feel a great fascination for primates, especially gorillas and chimpaces. I love your post congratulations
It's funny, but I experienced a very similar reaction a few years ago when I visited that zoo in Calgary with my family. Perhaps it was my rationalization, but I came to peace with it in the knowledge that I have gained a better understanding of that animal community, that would not have happened if the gorilla was not there...
Looking at animal in captivity, a man with a great sense of observation can not see something, and one of them is suppressed. please upvote my post
Zoos comes with pros am a contras. Good point is that in a good zoo they take medically care of the animal and there are no natural enemies. Also it might help for education with children but a very Big psylocical problem is the animal is caged and the behavior changes a lot :(
Great pics!
incredible close ups of the..we can even see the feelings on their faces..well done :)
@scottdphoto you have a gift, the expression on the gorillas face in picture 2 is one of true sorrow, at the risk of anthropomorphising. We know that primates are emotionally intelligent creatures. to see them like this is truly heartbreaking.
I can bet that the 99% of zoo keepers care deeply for the animals under their watch. After all I know they would work all the hours in the day to take care of a sick animal. They would do what they have to do to protect them.
Thanks again for great thought provoking content.
Upvoted and resteemed.
Awesome work. Let us grow together.
@kunalcold
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I like the photo overall, but I'm definitely tired of the washed out look - will be so out of style in a few years, and you've have thrown all that shadow detail away. Permanently.
Thoughts and feelings all in one word... SAD!
WOW!!! It looks very similar to the ones in the hollywood movie Planet of the apes...
you may also like my visit to Falkland Islands
https://steemit.com/travel/@travelwithethan/travel-series-by-travelwithethan-part-3-falkland-islands-incredibly-beautiful-landscape