Gorilla Brothers Reunite At Safari Park

How would you act if you saw your brother for the first time in years? You’d probably act just like these gorillas. Two gorilla brothers were reunited earlier this week at a Safari Park in England after spending more than two years apart.

The brothers, Kesho, 13, and younger brother, Alf, 9, immediately recognized each other and exchanged hugs and kisses.

Zookeeper Mark Tye said:

“They were touching each other through the cage that temporarily separated them… We put them together 24 hours later and it was like they had never been apart…. They were very animated and there was a lot of rough and tumble on the floor, but not in an aggressive way… It is quite unusual to see that sort of childlike behavior in a silverback…. The keepers from Dublin weren’t entirely sure the brothers would even know each other, but the moment they met you could just see the recognition in their eyes.”

According to ABC, the two gorilla brothers were separated in 2010 when Kesho was taken to the London Zoo as part of a breeding program. When Kesho proved to be infertile, the two brothers were sent to the Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire, England.

Ian Redmond OBE, the chairman of the Ape Alliance, told the BBC:

“What you’re seeing is exactly what you think you’re seeing… Two intelligent social mammals, who were separate, are pleased to see each other again and play together. It is gorilla joy, being reunited with someone you used to have good times with and now you can again, so it’s gorilla happiness.”

Here’s a video about the encounter from ABC.