The Missing Link?

While I was on my way to my internship this morning, I was listening to Paul Harvey's "News and Comment" show and he was reading a rather interesting story. After doing a quick web search tonight, I was able to find the AP article on the Dallas Morning News website.

It is the story of what took place at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, IL after Babs the gorilla died.

After Babs the gorilla died at age 30, keepers at the 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."

It is simply amazing to me how much gorillas are similar to humans. I always forget until I see them again in person or read a story like this. Earlier this year when I was in Chicago, I visited the Lincoln Park Zoo. When I went to the primate house, I was again simply amazed at how gorillas move and act just like people. Despite what some might say about the theory of evolution, I feel that there is definitely some relationship between man and apes. Either that or there is something more to higher order animals that compels them to mourn the passing of one of their own. Simply astonishing!