After sitting at home and doing nothing but entering data and plotting the painful demise of everyone who has ever owned a primate in this country I decided to go back and work at the wildlife center and do the data entry during breaks. It is much easier to read these stories if I can walk around and see all these guys running around and being as happy as they can be in captivity. they play, groom, mate, form friendships and get to live without being locked in a cage or tied to a post.
While watching the gorillas I was thinking on some of the problems associated with rescuing all these animals. Most come in very small, spend some time in the quarantine area and then get introduced to a group. With the gorillas there is the added problem of having to deal with the males as they grow into their own. Chella is our resident big silverback male, and some years ago he was challenged by another male, Arno. Arno lost, ended up with a broken leg. They decided to give Arno his own enclosure and three lady friends, but there is not room for that to happen again. As Benny is coming up in the ranks, there will either be a powershift if he wins, or some form of rotation if he doesn't.
I kind of like Benny. He is that kid that started high school at 90lbs and graduated at 210. He matured slowly, but now he's big and he knows it. He is biding his time until he thinks he can win, then he will attempt to rule. Boys.
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