Both the smaller female gorillas and the gigantic grey-backs are prone to the same emotional ups-and-downs as humans. The Erie Pennsylvania Zoo has an aging childless primate named Samantha. Since 2005, Samantha has wandered the habitat at the zoo, alone - her male pal passed-on last year.
The zoo could get another knuckle-dragger, but Samantha is forty-seven and deemed too old to be dating again. So zookeepers passed the hat around and got Samantha a $5 Dutch rabbit they named Panda.
Panda? Well, there are no rabbits in the Congo. And a Chinese name for a Dutch rabbit seems just as plausible as getting a gorilla a pet.
Anyway, back to the story. Samantha, the middle-aged lowlands gorilla has been hanging out with Panda the rabbit for a few weeks now. Samantha scratches the little rabbit carefully, even nibbles on the rabbits food once in a while.
The rabbit is oblivious. Samantha was seen clearing Panda's path a few times, so zoo officials think the pairing has worked.
Eventually the zoo guys are gonna have to find a companion for the rabbit too. Not that Samantha can't meet Panda's needs, but most of the time the Panda thinks Samantha is a big black rock. These two will no doubt let handlers know when, or if it's time to add more creatures to the habitat.
