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Oh, to be young (and a gorilla) in London
Updated: 2010-03-04 11:45
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Ooh la la! A frisky French gorilla on the prowl in Britain has been turning on the Gallic charm full blast, London Zoo officials said this week.
Yeboah, a 12-year-old stud, was given pictures of the zoo's three more experienced female gorillas in advance and was left under no illusions: It's time to be a man.
Three female gorillas were left bereft after their silverback mate Bobby died in December 2008.
But they have barely been able to leave Yeboah alone since the 127-kilogram beast stomped into town from a zoo in western France shortly before Christmas last year.
"Yeboah's a very charming gorilla and is having to quickly turn from a boy into a man now he's met our more experienced female gorillas," said zookeeper Daniel Simmonds.
In the next few months, visitors will be able to watch Yeboah transform from a blackback into a silverback gorilla as he learns to dominate his new group.
Blackbacks are sexually mature adults up to 11 years old, but then turn into silverbacks when a patch of silver hair appears on their backs around the age of 12 and they become a dominant group leader.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.
