Splashdance
June 24, 2017 12:27 PM   Subscribe

Zola is a 380-pound Silverback gorilla living in the South gorilla habitat at the Dallas Zoo. He loves his pool [ambient sound].

Naturally, the internet has provided a Flashdance remix [music]. And an EDM remix [LOUD music].

Zola has always loved water, as evidenced by his breakdancing [BOOMY music] at the Calgary Zoo in 2011. And experts agree that Zola is truly enjoying himself.
posted by Johnny Wallflower (25 comments total) 22 users marked this as a favorite
 
I have never felt closer to our gorilla relatives than I do right now.
posted by gladly at 12:44 PM on June 24, 2017 [6 favorites]


Even better than the movie! 15/10
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:45 PM on June 24, 2017 [1 favorite]


I think it's to the credit of the evolution of zoos and our understanding of animals across the centuries that animals are given opportunities to do things like this. I'm glad we're learning more and more about animals and realizing that they think and feel and have opinions about things.

If we do have to keep animals, let's keep them as happy as we can with the best lives we can give them.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have things I need to do for my cats.
posted by hippybear at 12:52 PM on June 24, 2017 [13 favorites]


Thanks for including the re-assuring context link. I saw the video on twitter but I didn't know what to think about it - at this point I just assume any cute video of unusual animal behavior is the result of some fucked up human fuckery. I guess I'm not the only one!

I thought this was a weirdly old-fashioned phrasing though:
"Zdrojewski said the pool isn’t just for fun and is considered an “enrichment item” that zoo keepers use to engage primates."
Like fun isn't inherently valuable or important so we have to clarify that it's actually this other more scientific sounding word that really just means fun.
posted by bleep at 12:55 PM on June 24, 2017 [12 favorites]


Where does a 300 pound gorilla splashdance?

Wherever he wants.
posted by Samizdata at 1:05 PM on June 24, 2017 [3 favorites]


♪ His name was Zola, he was a dancer...

copa banana
posted by adept256 at 1:11 PM on June 24, 2017 [56 favorites]


*shakes fist* Damn you, adept256... *brain plays song continuously for the next week*
posted by hippybear at 1:14 PM on June 24, 2017 [8 favorites]


Like fun isn't inherently valuable or important so we have to clarify that it's actually this other more scientific sounding word that really just means fun.

More an issue of funding, I think—scientists have to justify every little thing these days.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:15 PM on June 24, 2017 [7 favorites]


I don't begrudge scientists for doing their science thing using science language I just thought it was unfortunate journalism phrasing.
posted by bleep at 1:31 PM on June 24, 2017 [1 favorite]


As the kids are saying nowadays: same.
posted by penduluum at 1:35 PM on June 24, 2017 [1 favorite]


hippybear, payback for reminding me that Year Zero is happening.
posted by adept256 at 2:26 PM on June 24, 2017 [2 favorites]


Incredibly moving -- and tragic.

Sets me dreaming of a shared world.
posted by jamjam at 2:29 PM on June 24, 2017 [4 favorites]


For a couple seconds there, it looked like time for sushi.
posted by klarck at 2:32 PM on June 24, 2017 [1 favorite]


More an issue of funding, I think—scientists have to justify every little thing these days.

Just listened to this podcast last night, it's a good lesson in why these things need to be justified.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:36 PM on June 24, 2017 [2 favorites]


Like fun isn't inherently valuable or important so we have to clarify that it's actually this other more scientific sounding word that really just means fun.

By describing this as just 'fun' you are anthropomorphising. Enrichment is an animal behavior principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being.

Enrichment is very species-specific, some types of enrichment may look 'fun' to a human, but others definitely won't.
posted by Lanark at 4:55 PM on June 24, 2017 [10 favorites]


By describing this as just 'fun' you are anthropomorphising

By denying this obviously common behavior -- we're talking a gorilla here, 98% same DNA as us, not a nematode -- you are indulging in speciesism, as if we are the only species for which something like "fun" can be meaningful.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:03 PM on June 24, 2017 [6 favorites]


^ Thats true, but the term 'enrichment' is used for all number of different species in a Zoo.
posted by Lanark at 5:09 PM on June 24, 2017 [2 favorites]


Something about this makes me feel like he is as least as qualified to vote as a big hunk of our populace.
posted by eggkeeper at 5:11 PM on June 24, 2017 [3 favorites]


From the same series, I think:
Watch female elephants stage a dramatic rescue of a drowning baby elephant

I can't watch this without feeling that I share the emotions and concerns of the elephants, which would imply that we have something in common, that they're not just Cartesian bundles of reflexes but beings with a consciousness that deserves the same sort of respect as my own.
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:22 PM on June 24, 2017 [6 favorites]


but the term 'enrichment' is used for all number of different species in a Zoo.

But what happened here was, you complained about the use of the word "fun" and said that "enrichment" was better, because it was not anthropomorphic. This is a thing biologists have done for over 100 years called Morgan's Canon, and it's bullshit. Gorillas have the same skeletal structure and pancreas and hair follicles as we do, why would they not also have the same emotions? Anyone who has ever lived with an animal knows that they have the same emotions we do. Dogs have fun, cats are skeptical, parrots may be mimicking human laughter but they do it on cue when things are funny.

Morgan's Canon is nothing less than human exceptionalism. It is the secular alternative to the older idea that God gave us the Earth to rule, and is also used to justify all sorts of evil things.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:33 PM on June 24, 2017 [5 favorites]


Wait, so I just have to sing the Irene Cara myself?
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 6:11 PM on June 24, 2017 [2 favorites]


Mod note: folks, maybe wrap up the fun vs. enrichment debate, take it to MeMail or bring it back to the video subject in some way?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:16 PM on June 24, 2017 [2 favorites]


Don't anthropomorphize the animals. They hate that.
posted by hippybear at 7:10 PM on June 24, 2017 [16 favorites]


I finally understand the true meaning of Jungle Boogie.
posted by Faint of Butt at 10:03 AM on June 25, 2017 [2 favorites]


The anthropomorphization will continue until morale fun enrichment improves.

Seriously this is wonderful although it suggests primate exhibits at zoos should look a lot more like nightclubs.
posted by spitbull at 7:07 PM on June 25, 2017 [2 favorites]


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