Twycross Gorillas At Halloween

I am so happy that I've got some footage after all from our great gorilla family on Halloween. I thought I missed it all, after they had their celebration early. This one wasn't quite as big, but they had some fun.

So much was happening so quickly, that I tried to get all the family members in, but Asante was somewhere else again and apart from a little glimpse at the end I didn't get her enjoying the party.

Starting with Lope, seeing him beating on that bag with excitement and then doing his little roll is just something special. Biddy had already opened her bag when I got there and was munching on her stick. They do love to strip the bark of it. 

Oumbi was sitting in the corner with a serious face on him, getting all the straw out of the bag to find the sticks and bits of food hidden in it. Little Shufai had more fun playing with the already empty sacks, dragging them along the grass. Biddy sitting there with a stick like that, she looks like she's ready for a battle if Lope tries anything on. 😂

When the keepers throw more food over the wall, Oumbi is the first to get to the edible paper pumpkins filled with some sort of leaves. ( they had real pumpkins at the earlier celebration) . On the other side, mum Ozala is having a little temper tantrum, by throwing the the empty sack in the air. Lope then gets hold of the paper pumpkin and you can see his delight. Holding it with both hand and he's definitely not going to be sharing. Shufai is having a look at Lope eating. Don't worry, he did get his share and the keeper says even if Shufai doesn't get anything at feeding time, he always gets his treats later on!  He manages to get another bag and investigates if there is still anything in it, giving it a good pad down.  He starts to drag the sack again and is trying to pull it around a tree, pulling it hard when it gets stuck. He manages to get it loose again and decides to drag it with his teeth this time.

Oumbi does a Ozala and is throwing the empty bag in the air. I wish I could of had ten hands that day as it was all happening so quickly, but there is more to come on Monday with another longer video!

Don't forget Friday And Monday Is Gorilla Video Day!