It may not be all that exciting, but he is not in any distress. He is at home, where he grew up and with the family he knows. In the wilds of Africa, his life would be in danger. In my news feed today, I read about five gorillas who grew up near Canterbury who met their deaths when they went back to live in Africa.
Death of Five Canterbury Gorillas
I also know of what happened to Lucy Temerlin when she went to live in Africa after being raised as an American for sixteen years.
Sometimes apes can prosper under circumstances that are not the canonical environment in which they evolved and can be doomed under what seems the most "natural" way of life. We may think that there is a right place for everything, but sometimes the things that survive are precisely those that do not spring up in the "right"place.
There's a crack in the concrete behind my garage. Nothing is supposed to be growing there. And yet today, when I looked more closely, I saw that under the falling leaves of the tulip tree, some stunning flowers were flourishing.
The flowers don't "belong" here, and yet here they are!
Who is to say where anyone else belongs? Bow and I are staying snug and safe indoors this morning. When the weather changes, we will venture forth.
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Well, I tried to identify your wildflower, but not sure what it is. It looks like a vining plant...
ReplyDeletecould this be it?
http://www.missouriwildflowerguide.com/flowerSlenderDayflower.html
That's very sad about the gorillas. I wonder why they thought it would be a good idea to return them to the wild after having been in captivity? I couldn't find how long they were captives, but they were certainly older. What a shame.
Hi, Kathy. I think you are right about the flower: Slender Day Flower is what it seems to be.
DeleteThere is a temptation among conservationists and ethologists to try to reintroduce apes back to the wild, in the belief that this is where they belong, no matter how long they have been away or whether they might have spent all their lives in captivity. The wild is not the safest place for any ape, but it can be especially dangerous for those who are not used to it.