#western lowland gorilla

[jasvvy]

[panthootplex]

putting bets on the child

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[bignosebaby]

Snowflake the gorilla was found in Equatorial Guinea in 1966. Orphaned by farmers that shot his mother for eating their crops, he was immediately spotted clinging to her. As the only albino gorilla ever found, he was taken in by one of the farmers and given to a local conservator. After an adjustment period where he adapted to human contact, he was sent to live at the Barcelona Zoo where he lived for the rest of his life. He fathered 21 children and 10 grandchildren, and enjoyed life with his large gorilla family until he passed away from skin cancer in 2003, a condition that albinism increases the risk factor for.

Though the circumstances of his discovery were tragic, life in captivity was highly advantageous for Snowflake. Albinism didn’t just impact his looks, but his ability; he was visually impaired, had issues with coordination, and was more susceptible to eye and skin issues. As such, his life in the wild would have been far more difficult and his chances of thriving and reproducing would have been low. At the zoo he was able to live a full gorilla life, and was a huge draw for visitors which helped promote conservation. An animated children's movie was made based on him, he was featured on postcards, and he even made the cover of National Geographic!

The cause of Snowflake’s albinism is an issue caused by habitat fragmentation and deforestation: inbreeding. Albinism is a recessive trait, and gorillas who are unable to leave their natal groups to found new families in new territory are confined to a smaller gene pool. Snowflake’s genome was sequenced from frozen blood samples in 2013, which revealed that his parents shared 12% of their DNA which indicates an uncle/niece relation. If there is one legacy that Snowflake should leave, it is a motivation for us to protect the forests of Africa that western lowland gorillas call home and ensure a future for gorillas in the wild.

[markhors-menagerie]

Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

These huge, powerful apes are found in the lowland tropical forests of Western Africa. They are highly sexually dimorphic, and dominant males are often called silverbacks for their light grey backs. They eat leaves, fruits, roots, tree bark, and occasionally small animals. They are also known to use tools, and famously Koko the gorilla was said to have been able to communicate using sign language, although the extent to which she understood has since been questioned and debunked by many scientists.

[webkinzislife]

The Pet of the Day for December 4th, 2023, is the Endangered Western Lowland Gorilla!

This pet was released in July of 2010!

[vintagewildlife]

The remains of "Gargantua," a gorilla who was displayed at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1938-1949 By: Unknown photographer 1949

[mad-moll]

Calaya and baby Zahra

[zootoo]

Silverback Western Lowland Gorilla Port Lympne 181219a by John Higgins Via Flickr: Western Lowland Gorilla Silverback Male. Today is World Gorilla Day. Incredible creatures that I highly doubt I will ever be lucky enough to see in the wild. They are very intimidating up close, awesome animals, especially the Silverbacks. They just look powerful.

[tempural]

Potential sticker designs for May's Hot Dog Sticker Club!

Sticker Club members can vote on which design I finish first. Not a member yet? Become a zeenie weenie!

For May, we have the choice of:

Twin Gorillas: Western lowland gorillas: One grey gorilla, one vanilla gorilla. They are highly intelligent and critically endangered. The only known albino gorilla was Snowflake - his albinism possibly being the result of naturally occuring inbreeding. This will come in a set of two stickers!

Pink Dolphin: There are several types of pink dolphins in the world.  This particular drawing depicts a Taiwanese Humpback Dolphin, Their pink coloration is due to blood vessels close to the skin's surface.  There are less than 100 Taiwanese Humpback Dolphins left in their natural habitat.

Anglerfish Het Yaoi: <3 size difference! Some types of anglerfish, such as this fanfin anglerfish, display extreme dimorphism and parasitism. The males are 1/10th the size of the female and cannot digest food. Unless they find a girlfriend they will die. Once they find a GF, they fuse organically with her flesh, and they shrivel until they're nothing but a beating heart and set of testes. Some species of female anglerfish may have up to 8 sperm donors attached to her at once.

[aneighborhoodnaturalist]

The western lowland gorilla is the smallest gorilla subspecies, but still maintain enormous strength and size for a primate. Their diet is primarily vegetarian, but they may seek out insects from time to time.

(Western lowland gorilla)

Orlando Expedition “Week” - Day 13, Post 1

[jasvvy]

[panthootplex]

Antics

[bignosebaby]

First pictures of the newborn gorilla at the Calgary Zoo. Mom and baby are doing well so far, and the exhibit is closed to give the family some time to adjust to the new baby 🦍💕

[i-love-books-because-reasons]

[n1m3h]

1️⃣3️⃣1️⃣

[vintagewildlife]

"Gargantua," a gorilla who was displayed at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1938-1949 By: Unknown photographer 1949