Why This Gorilla Prefers to Walk Upright
Louis the gorilla isn’t quite a germaphobe, says the zoo’s primate curator, but he’s definitely not a fan of mud.
Louis was just trying to keep his tomatoes intact and off the ground when he was caught on camera walking through his enclosure.
The 16-year-old western lowland gorilla is a favorite at the Philadelphia Zoo, and now he’s getting even more attention for his tendency to walk upright and over long distances.
“Some gorillas will walk upright when they have their hands full,” says the zoo’s curator of primates and small mammals, Michael Stern. He adds that most gorillas walk this way for a step or two. Louis, however, is often spotted taking longer strolls.
In the Facebook post showing the video of the gorilla earlier this month, the zoo suggested Louis was trying to keep his hands and food clean.
