often, we find stories like these, where animals act in ways we can understand in human terms. and just because we may not understand some other animal behavior and communication doesn't make those any less deserving of protection. animal rights and human rights are closely linked. if we can extend compassion to all, we'll reap the rewards.



Gorillas hold 'wake' for group's leader
Gorillas last respects similar to human behavior
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 Posted: 10:34 AM EST (1534 GMT)

BROOKFIELD, Illinois (AP) -- After Babs the gorilla died at age 30, keepers at Brookfield Zoo decided to allow surviving gorillas to mourn the most influential female in their social family.

One by one Tuesday, the gorillas filed into the Tropic World building where Babs' body lay, arms outstretched. Curator Melinda Pruett Jones called it a "gorilla wake."

Babs' 9-year-old daughter, Bana, was the first to approach the body, followed by Babs' mother, Alpha, 43. Bana sat down, held Babs' hand and stroked her mother's stomach. Then she sat down and laid her head on Babs' arm.

"It was like they used to do in the exhibit, lying side by side on the mountain," keeper Betty Green said. "Then Bana rose up and looked at us and moved to Babs' other side, tucked her head under the other arm, and stroked Babs' stomach."

Other gorillas also approached Babs and gently sniffed the body. Only the silverback male leader, Ramar, 36, stayed away.

Keepers said the display wasn't surprising.

"She was the dominant female of the group, the peacekeeper, the disciplinarian, the one who kept things in a harmonious state," Pruett Jones said.

Koola, 9, brought her infant daughter, whom Babs had showered with attention since her birth in August.

"Koola inspected Babs' mouth for a while, then held her baby close to Babs, like she loved to do the last couple months, letting Babs admire her," Green said.

Babs had an incurable kidney condition and was euthanized Tuesday. Keepers had recently seen a videotape of a gorilla wake at the Columbus, Ohio, zoo and decided they would do the same for Babs. Gorillas in the wild have been known to pay respects to their dead, keepers said.

"I had a headache for the rest of the day after all the tears I cried watching them," Green said.

This story brought tears to my eyes as well. It's cool that gorillas "pay their last respects" to their other family members, just like we do.

psychodelicide said:

amazing, isn't it?!

irresistibleb1tch said:

thanks for posting this, I thought about doing so but then got sidetracked.

The profound and significant understanding of life and death that exists in animals, human and non-human, is always moving to me.. To think that we only know this because the gorillas can show and express their innate perception of it all in terms we humans can relate to and understand...how does a parakeet express this same emotion, or an elephant, or a bobcat??

Great story, Irresistable... ...I had a similar moment a little over a year ago when I came upon two dogs in the road early one morning. Wrote about it on my website: http://mysite.verizon.net...7/id7.html

This touches ones heart!

Thanks Martina for the post.

thanks for posting this, hon...

Byron said:

Byron, your story brought tears to my eyes.

Byron said:

Bruh, that was a touching...and incredibly humane gesture. I applaud your efforts.

Primates absolutely fascinate me. That is a very touching story and i have heard similar ones before.

I could watch them all day.

Byron said:

parakeets communicate sadness quit well through body language. they mourn the loss of other birds, as well.

and don't elephants have graveyards that they visit yearly on migratory paths?

i truly believe that an abundance of intelligent life shares this planet with us. humans just aren't intelligent enough to recognize intelliegnce in other species unless it's pointed out to us, which is a deep, deep shame imo. not to jack the thread, but i thin the bible contributes to this directly, the part where god creates man apart and separate from other animals.

i'd love to see our laws and culture redefine the status of animals so they aren't considered to be 'chattel' that is, as laws are currently written they refer to animals as 'goods' or 'property', with a slightly more privileged status than that of inanimate objects.

The first veterinarian I worked for mainly cared for rabbits, rodents, and ferrets. Rabbits and rats, particularly, tend to form strong pair/social bonds, and clients would frequently bring both animals in if one or the other needed treatment so they could keep each other company. If one of a pair would die, she would put them in the cage with the other so that they could see and smell them and, on whatever level, realize what had happened. They clearly knew when they had lost their companion.

I also saw after one of my cats had to be euthanized early this year that my other cat obviously knew he was missing, searched for him, cried for him, and misses him. She has been much more "needy"/clingy since then. Poor thing.

thank you for sharing this, martina. it's so important for these creatures to be in a safe environment where they can display their emotion for the loss of one of their own

tackam said:

Poor kitty! Cats definitely miss their companions when they are suddenly taken from them. I'll never forget when I had to put my cat Scooter to sleep because he had cancer. I put him into his carrier, and his brother, Shadow, looked at him as if to say, "What are you doing in there?" Then, after Scooter was euthanized, I brought the empty carrier back and put it down on the floor by the entrance. Shadow looked into the carrier, he was looking for his brother. It was like he was saying, "Hey where did he go?" Now both Scooter and Shadow are gone, I like to think that they are reunited and playing together again.

irresistibleb1tch said:

It sure is!

tackam said:

Do you think it's a good idea to do this with other pets as well? I think it would help them understand what happened...rather than think their friend just disappeared.

the Animal Protection Institute does amazing work with primates that have been rescued.
The site is www.api4primates.org

They also do a lot to help other animals,from addressing abuse problems to researching pet food. They are very knowledgable and sie all their references. They also have full disclosure of where all their money goes. VERY REPUTABLE.
www.api4animals.org

We had to have one of our pet rats euthanized last spring. We took his cage companion with us to the vet's office because they were inseperable. They hugged together and the well rat really calmed the sick one. The vet let them stay together when they did the procedure. There wasn't a dry eye in the clinic, and they all said that it was obvious that the rats knew we were helping them, and the well one was doing the best he could to help his friend.
After ,he huddled near the body on the way home and mourned his loss the rest of his life. We got a young rat to give him company, but he wouldn't accept him so we had to have separate cages. Our dog is also still mourning the loss of our cat that had to be euthanized 2 months ago due to a urinary blockage.We have 5 other cats, but that one was her favorite.

applekisses said:

Oh, hell I don't know. I think it can't hurt. You would think that social animals should have evolved some sort of mechanism for comprehending, in whatever way they are capable, the death of members of their social group. It makes sense to me that pets would benefit from that. I thought it was a good thing for the vet to do. I certainly don't think that dogs/cats/rats/rabbits have the same response that we do. . .I've been at home euthanasias where the other pets in the household are right there as they die and don't register any sort of distress or anything. . .but. . .can't hurt.

irresistibleb1tch said:

When you work with animals, or have them as pets, you learn that they each have their own personality and character. It's important that we learn to treat all life with respect.

Great thread girl!

Reincarnate said:

A heartwarming tale B1tch, thanks for sharing

irresistibleb1tch said:

I forgot to send big thanks to the original poster.

raveon2tnek said:

perhaps they are

shellyevon said:

Another touching story that proves that animals grieve the loss of their companion, just like we do. It goes to prove that animals are smart, not "dumb" like some people claim they are.

psychodelicide said:

sometimes i wonder if some people are hesitant to acknowledge the intelligence of animals and their ability to feel pain because it would lead to changes in their lives that they are not willing or able to make at this point...