Novenber 8, Detroit zoo, cousins

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This is one of my favorite images from this trip. I like the almost-silhouette, the monochromatic foreground against the blurry autumnal background, and the way the light catches just the edge of the ear.....

Chimpanzee.





This fine strapping young man(?) was the first gorilla I saw.

(I am very happy to be able to say that all of the cousins seemed to be in good shape. No visible injuries or problems.)





All the vegetation that makes their habitat more interesting for them also makes a photographer's job more difficult.

I like the shadows of the shrub on his chest.





Mandrill. This individual was the only mandrill I saw. She(?) was in with the gorillas. Don't you love that pointy little ear?





She was eating grass. Clearly, with this dentition, grass is not a major part of her diet.......





The Detroit zoo has very nice large outdoor areas for the chimps and gorillas. Plenty of grass, plenty of leaves, enough space to not be cheek-by-jowl with your fellows.





As can be seen from the white mark on her(?) eyebrow, this is the same individual as above. She gathered a handful of grass and leaves, and then came and sat close to a glass wall to consume her snack. I held the camera over my head, and managed to avoid the worst of the fingerprints and glare, though there is still some glare in these images.

I love her hands.......



















There were at least three gorillas and a mandrill in one enclosure, and quite a large group of chimps in another. Eight or so, I think.

I am tickled to have gotten this nice sharp image of this little one. Check out the size of the ears! My goodness! Perhaps s/he will grow into them.







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