Notes on water-contact by a captive male lowland gorilla

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Great apes in captivity and in the wild exhibit varying propensities to enter and use water. Although some captive apes have drowned in deep water, others have been inclined to play and to “bathe” in shallow water. In the present study of two gorillas, an adult male's water contact was apparently influenced by humidity, but not by zoo attendance or ambient temperature. Most water contact was restricted to the morning hours; water entry during the afternoon was infrequent. Both animals sought shelter during rain. Considering the frequent use of the streams and moat by one of the two gorillas studied, water may be regarded as a type of environmental enrichment.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: