A Cow, a Capybara, and We Glimpse Our Elusive New Gorilla

Handsome ape Babatunde is already a Buffalonian

Today I walked in the drizzle in the Buffalo Zoo, and I met its celebrated new resident.

Babatunde is the new Silverback Gorilla. When I visited the Zoo the other day, he was not on view. A sign said that as he was being acclimated, he would not always be visible.

However he was today!

I had my hopes he would be, because today was a cold drizzly day, not the kind of day when most people would be walking in the zoo. As soon as I walked into the Gorilla Habitat, I saw a gorilla I imagined could be Babatunde. He was sitting there eating.

A docent confirmed to me that yes, the gorilla I had photographed was the new resident.

She said, “He is always sitting there in the same spot, eating.”

I said, “He is a Buffalonian!”

The docent said to me then: “Are you ignoring what I am carrying, or did you not see it?”

Yikes, she was carrying a snake!

To be honest I had not noticed. It was a little boa constrictor. I guess a boa constrictor that little can constrict only rats and mice.

Here is a question.

When a docent at the Zoo is carrying an animal, why is that animal always a snake?

Why not, oh, a monkey? Or a rabbit? Or something else cute and cuddly?

From time to time I see the Zoomobile. The sides of this van are painted with pictures of animals — zebras, elephants, whatever. And, oh wait, there’s a snake painted there too.

Guess what animal you are going to find in the Zoomobile?

A snake!

You are not going to find Babatunde in that Zoomobile.

Well, at least I found him here in the Gorilla Habitat, today. And he looked happy.

As did Rosie the capybara.

And Ruby the Devon cow.

I had put in an order from Albrecht Discount so I had to get home after wandering the zoo in the drizzle for an hour or so. It was a wonderful walk at the Zoo.

However it stays with you, you know?

All those faces peering at you!