last moon

mercoledì 9 giugno 2010

Love at first sight


They say Johary (left) and Mbeli (right) are greeting each other, meeting for the first time at Taronga Zoo - Sidney- Australia.
But it might also be love at the first sight!
Or may be Johary is just thinking :
-" Come on! What are you waiting for to put that slow dance disco on, my dear friends?"

Read more on this:


A handshake simply won't cut it: Gorillas embrace as they meet for the FIRST time

By Mail Foreign Service

In the world of gorilla etiquette, it appears the handshake never quite caught on.

Instead a quick spin on the dancefloor seems the appropriate way of getting to know one another.

And having met for the first time, these female gorillas rapidly got to grips with some complicated moves.

First, ten-year-old Johari allowed Mbeli, six, to climb on her back and ride facing backwards when they were introduced at Melbourne Zoo in Australia.
Accepted: The animals hug after going through their greeting ritual

Accepted: The animals hug after going through their greeting ritual

Then the partners swapped positions, with Mbeli - a Western Lowland gorilla from Sydney's Taronga Zoo - giving Johari a lift.

Finally they ended with a more conventional ballroom stance, standing and embracing to show their mutual approval.

Mbeli's arrival has brought the number of gorillas at the zoo to nine - with the oldest being Rigo, a 40-year-old male.

A statement on Taronga Zoo's website said: 'It was a sad day for primate keepers when our eldest juvenile female gorilla, Mbeli, departed for Melbourne Zoo.
Feeling the strain: Mbeli rides on Johari's back as they ape around

Feeling the strain: Mbeli rides on Johari's back as they ape around

'Our keepers have been working very closely with her over the past few months training her for this big day.

'The day started off as any normal day in the Gorilla House, with keepers meeting to discuss the morning’s events and then positioning the gorillas.

'All went smoothly until the family realised what was happening and Kibabu, our silverback, became very protective.

'He let the keepers know he wasn’t happy with what was going on in no uncertain terms, even vocalising at them.

'A lot of this is just bluff and it is quite natural for a silverback to react in this way.
Unusual greeting: Mbeli meets Johari for the first time at Melbourne Zoo

Unusual greeting: Mbeli meets Johari for the first time at Melbourne Zoo

'This is part of a silverback’s job to protect his family and that was exactly what Kibabu was doing.'

However, as soon as Mbeli left, he quietened down.

Mbeli was loaded on to a truck and taken to Sydney Airport in a transition to Melbourne Zoo which went 'extremely smoothly'.

'She has settled into her new family life nicely,' the statement added.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1285295/A-handshake-simply-wont-cut-Gorillas-embrace-meet-FIRST-time.html#ixzz0qQEAE8k3

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