The girl who's going ape to be a good surrogate: How a woman is monkeying around to bring up a gorilla

By Katherine Faulkner


Surrogate: Zoo vet Sarah Chapman has been caring for six-month-old Okanda by impersonating his mother, from grunting to grooming, whenever she handles him


When little Okanda had to be separated from his mother after falling ill, zoo vet Sarah Chapman took on the role of surrogate.

But to care for the six-month-old gorilla, she has to follow one strict instruction - to impersonate the real thing, from grunting to grooming, whenever she handles him.

Staff at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire feared that if Okanda picked up human behaviour from her, his real mother would reject him when they were reunited.


So Miss Chapman, pictured with Okanda, was told not to talk to him, or hold him like a baby.

Instead she has set about mimicking how his mother would communicate with him, as well as how she would look after him.

So far the strategy has been a success, as Okanda is going from strength to strength.

The western lowland gorilla was separated from his mother, Ozala, more than a week ago because her own milk was not providing enough nutrients to keep him healthy.

Baby: Okanda (pictured) was separated from his mother, Ozala, more than a week ago because her own milk was not providing enough nutrients to keep him healthy


He was initially put on a drip and had a feeding tube fitted.

He was then fed powdered baby milk and, over the past few days, has been introduced to solid foods.

Sharon Redrobe, director of life sciences at the zoo, said staff were pleased with Okanda’s progress, and that he had begun ‘playing and making gorilla noises’.

She added: ‘He’s started biting Sarah, which is a good sign for him – although it’s not quite so good for Sarah.’


Surrogate: Sarah Chapman was told not to talk to him, or hold him like a baby, and has instead set about mimicking how his mother would communicate with him



source:dailymail