Amelia is the creature on exhibit at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! Three gorillas watch her closely as she pretends to eat cucumbers and tomatoes she's brought in a cooler. They know that soon a zookeeper will give them the vegetables Amelia has grown and delivered to the zoo. "But they'll spit out the jalapeno peppers," she says. "At least the baboons will eat them!"

What—No Bananas? Roots & Shoots, founded by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Jane Goodall, recently honored Amelia for her gorilla garden project. She and her friends tend cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables, then bring them to the zoo for the animals to eat.

Hairy Friends. Amelia has gotten to know the gorillas she helps feed. "They purr like tigers when they get treats, but sometimes they get mad and spit at each other," she says. Amelia's even noticed different personalities. "Bebac is more mellow than the others," she says. "That's why he's my favorite." Just don't tell the other two gorillas—they might spit at Amelia!