By BRIAN CLARK HOWARD
Bust a move: Zola, a nine-year-old Western lowland gorilla at the Calgary Zoo, shows his fancy footwork
Who needs to be king of the jungle when you can be king of the b-boys? This breakdancing gorilla must have learned his slick moves in New York.
Nine-year-old Zola, one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo in Canada, has become the latest Internet video star, thanks to a YouTube clip that shows him stomping and spinning, as if he were breakdancing.
It's a welcome change for Canada from the Internet video clips of mass rioting in Vancouver after the local team was beaten in the Stanley Cup hockey final.
Zola came to Calgary from the Bronx Zoo in New York City about two years ago. He 'loves to play in water'
Zola was moved to the Calgary Zoo two years ago along with three other young gorillas from the Bronx Zoo in New York City.
New York, of course, is where breakdancing - or b-boying, as it is often popularly known - was born.
According to his current keepers, Zola 'loves to play in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis'.
Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'
Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine told Metro that when he first received Zola, he was told the young animal liked to splash around.
Mr Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'.
Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan, to save the species
On Friday, June 17 at about 3:30 pm, the Calgary Zoo posted a short video on YouTube and their Facebook page of Zola playing in a puddle of water.
Within 72 hours, the video had been viewed more than 15,000 times.
Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Both the Western and Eastern species of gorillas are highly endangered, thanks to poaching and habitat loss in their native central Africa.
Hit: Within 72 hours, the video of Zola 'break dancing' had been viewed more than 15,000 times
Zola out: After putting on an amazing show, the gorilla heads out the door into another part of the enclosure
Some gorillas continue to be taken from the wild for the 'pet' trade and some zoos, though most reputable zoos now source their animals from captive breeding.
Gorillas are threatened by the 'bushmeat' trade as well, in which hungry people living in their vicinity hunt them for meat.
Gorillas are the closest living relatives of humans next to two chimpanzee species.
Gorillas share 95-99 per cent of their DNA with human beings, depending on how you measure it.
But one thing remains certain: few human beings can break dance as well as Zola.
Break Dancing Gorilla at the Zoo
source : dailymail
Bust a move: Zola, a nine-year-old Western lowland gorilla at the Calgary Zoo, shows his fancy footwork
Who needs to be king of the jungle when you can be king of the b-boys? This breakdancing gorilla must have learned his slick moves in New York.
Nine-year-old Zola, one of eight Western lowland gorillas currently living at the Calgary Zoo in Canada, has become the latest Internet video star, thanks to a YouTube clip that shows him stomping and spinning, as if he were breakdancing.
It's a welcome change for Canada from the Internet video clips of mass rioting in Vancouver after the local team was beaten in the Stanley Cup hockey final.
Zola came to Calgary from the Bronx Zoo in New York City about two years ago. He 'loves to play in water'Zola was moved to the Calgary Zoo two years ago along with three other young gorillas from the Bronx Zoo in New York City.
New York, of course, is where breakdancing - or b-boying, as it is often popularly known - was born.
According to his current keepers, Zola 'loves to play in water and keepers regularly give him the opportunity to do so as part of the enrichment activities they plan and vary on a daily basis'.
Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'Senior zookeeper Garth Irvine told Metro that when he first received Zola, he was told the young animal liked to splash around.
Mr Irvine said: 'He's way more talented than I am. But he's got all day to practice'.
Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan, to save the speciesOn Friday, June 17 at about 3:30 pm, the Calgary Zoo posted a short video on YouTube and their Facebook page of Zola playing in a puddle of water.
Within 72 hours, the video had been viewed more than 15,000 times.
Zola is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Both the Western and Eastern species of gorillas are highly endangered, thanks to poaching and habitat loss in their native central Africa.
Hit: Within 72 hours, the video of Zola 'break dancing' had been viewed more than 15,000 times
Zola out: After putting on an amazing show, the gorilla heads out the door into another part of the enclosureSome gorillas continue to be taken from the wild for the 'pet' trade and some zoos, though most reputable zoos now source their animals from captive breeding.
Gorillas are threatened by the 'bushmeat' trade as well, in which hungry people living in their vicinity hunt them for meat.
Gorillas are the closest living relatives of humans next to two chimpanzee species.
Gorillas share 95-99 per cent of their DNA with human beings, depending on how you measure it.
But one thing remains certain: few human beings can break dance as well as Zola.
Break Dancing Gorilla at the Zoo
source : dailymail
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