Animals behind glass

[Catherine]

Zoos set up enclosures with glass so there could be meaningful, respectful encounters with the animals. Sometimes that does happen. Sadly all to often idiots harass and taunt the animals.

The worst is the gorilla enclosures. People behave very badly in front of the gorillas. I am embarrassed that the gorillas would think I am the same species. Gorillas are smart and they can tell the difference between the idiot people and the good people. I was standing at the glass by the gorillas and there was an idiot beside me acting up. Charles, the silverback male, walked up to the glass and looked at me and I swear he gave a little nod to me(I knew what was coming next). Charles hit the glass so hard the guy fell over backwards. Charles and I stood there looking at each other respectfully and then Charles went back to his usual napping place.
Meaningful encounters are possible.

When the Orangutan female, Puppe, lost her mate I went out there as soon as I could. I went straight to the orangutans and right up to the glass. She saw me from across the enclosure and came right over. She put her forehead against the glass and I put my forehead against the glass and we just stood there like that for a while. She understood that I was telling her how sorry I was for her loss. Sometimes words are not needed.



A friend took this picture