Party Animals

This gorilla looks like he should cut back on the alcahol and lose some weight.When wildlife photographer Andy Rouse visited the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda for the fourth time recently, he knew he would find a family of endangered gorillas to photograph between 8,000 and 13,000 feet up the mountain, but he got a little more than he bargained for.

 

When he reached the animals he found they had been pounding back the alcoholic sap that is found in fresh bamboo shoots and were on wobbly legs, trying to stagger to their feet.

 

The 43-year-old Rouse saw the humour in the situation and remarked, “It was not exactly Gorillas In The Mist, more like gorillas who were pissed. It was difficult taking photographs of them at their party because I was laughing so much. It was hilarious.'

 

The photographer added that he had heard the gorillas sometimes get in this state, but it was the first time he’d seen it. “The boss of the group, a huge silverback called Kwitonda, and some of the younger males were completely out of it.”
 
He noted that some of the gorillas were crazily swinging through the trees while others seemed to be passed out on the ground.

 

It is believed that the gorillas usually eat vegetation to soak up the sap, but on this occasion they were just drinking away as it if was happy hour.

 

There are 380 gorillas which still live in Rwanda, but it’s not known if they are all party animals like this family. Rouse said they were very quiet the next day and appeared to be suffering from hangovers.

Source:  Daily Mail