Gorillas Without the Mist

 

During my trip to the zoo the only thing that bothered me (except for the large number of moms blocking the pathways with strollers hehe) was the vibe I was getting from the gorillas.   They all seemed out of sorts, either angry, restless, or even depressed.   Of course, I may be reading way too much into what I was seeing.

I’m not one to go overboard on animal rights, and I sense most of the zoo animals are thriving.  It’s just that I can’t help wondering  if the gorillas recognize what they have lost. (Freedom).

This guy in the last image was sitting in the corner with his head hunched low.  When I was able to finally approach him (after waiting for the crowd to move on), he looked right at me, about 3 feet away (through the glass).   I wanted for him to be able to talk to me.   Am I nuts?   Anyhow, they are powerful animals and I enjoyed the experience – but was left with a slight sense of unease as well.   Perhaps he was just looking for a quiet spot to get away from his noisy neighbors, who knows.

From a photography standpoint, this exhibit offers a good opportunity to shoot good portraits, if only the glass were cleaner.   For someone with a very long lens, there is also an elevated bridge vantage point where you would not have to shoot through glass.