The ups and downs of living with a gorilla

BBC ^ | December 31, 2011

[decimon]

The Thivillons have been caring for Digit the gorilla for more than a decade, but having a primate at home throws up some unlikely problems.

In a village near Lyon in south-east France, a couple have become local celebrities by virtue of their adopted child.

Digit, as she is known, is a gorilla and has been living in the same room as Pierre and Elaine Thivillon for nearly 13 years.

Their relationship began in 1999, when the young primate came into the care of the couple, who manage the zoo at Saint Martin la Plaine where she was born.

Within three days of her birth, it was clear that Digit's mother Pamela was refusing to feed her. The Thivillons took her into their care, bottle-feeding her during the day and returning her to her enclosure at night.

By 18 months old, the baby gorilla had begun to show a deep attachment to her foster parents. After an illness left her requiring 24-hour care, Pierre and Elaine took her into their bedroom at night, where she has slept ever since.

For the first 10 years, she snuggled up between the couple, but now at 130kg (287lbs) she has to have a bed of her own.

[TigersEye]

Their home is part of a zoo so the neighbors have a lot of animals to worry about. If they have any worries about it at all.

[Krankor]

Gorillas pretty much hold it in.

[B.Lyle]

Edger Allen Poe wrote the book on this.

[Scarpetta]

I think this couple are lucky indeed. Too bad they’re not younger and can see Digit into “womanhood.”

[aruanan]

The ups and downs of living with a gorilla

Aren't they living with the equivalent of a 287 pound two-year-old?

[truthkeeper]

You were married to my ex? ;-)

[fabian]

but I am sure she was prettier than a gorilla! hehe

[dforest]

I don’t know, here is a photo of him hanging out with a friend. My ex is the furry one! LOL

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/clyde.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-famous-monkeys.php&h=336&w=435&sz=29&tbnid=XI3mhfKW_Ea12M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=117&zoom=1&docid=Gzg0VcvDHbj4FM&sa=X&ei=e50AT4W7EseRgQfbxeSmDw&ved=0CE0Q9QEwBw&dur=1542

[truthkeeper]

Hmmm...that other guy is kind of easy on the eyes. :-)

[dforest]

Well, he used to be, anyway. LOL

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Their home is part of a zoo so the neighbors have a lot of animals to worry about. If they have any worries about it at all.

If the rest of the animals are also running around these people's house instead of being kept in secure enclosures, then yeah - the neighbors have a great deal to worry about.

[TigersEye]

Whatever.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Whatever.

Thanks for your input.

[TigersEye]

You’re free to ignore the facts. What do I care?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

You’re free to ignore the facts.

What facts?

What do I care?

LOL - you're the one who responded to my post, remember? I didn't come to you asking if you cared about anything.

[TigersEye]

The fact that their apt is on the zoo grounds and the "neighbors" would have no more concern for Digit getting out of their apt than any other animal in the zoo.

Un gorille dans la famille (1/2)
Early video of Digit in their apt makes it clear it is on zoo grounds.

Zoo near Saint-Martin-la-Plaine, France
Google map showing the Thivillon's address in the center of the animal park.

I tried to educate you but my caring goes only so far. It ends with those who want to be ignorant.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

The fact that their apt is on the zoo grounds and the "neighbors" would have no more concern for Digit getting out of their apt than any other animal in the zoo.

If their apartment is within secure walls or fences which can prevent a gorilla from leaving the zoo grounds, then any damage which might occur if the gorilla acts out will be confined to zoo grounds and to any hapless zoo visitors unfortunate enough to be around at the time. But the video you provided doesn't have details about this. No zoo which allows the possibility of large, dangerous animals roaming freely within zoo grounds is safe.

I tried to educate you but my caring goes only so far. It ends with those who want to be ignorant.

Save the attitude, I'm not interested. Gorillas are rare, highly intelligent and remarkable animals which we should be doing everything in our power to preserve. That does not include dangerous practices like raising them in human households, ruining their ability to live normally with other gorillas (as the article indicates) and making possible a horrific incident in which the animal lashes out in a moment of stress or anger and kills people.