Not so long ago, there was a fun party at Zoo Atlanta: their gorilla Anaka celebrated her 6th birthday. To commemorate the joyous occasion, the employees at the facility snapped a couple of pics of the big girl and shared them on Facebook. People started sending their best wishes. However, while congratulating Anaka, those who were more observant noticed an interesting detail.
The gorilla has a unique patch of pigment on her hand. In the close-up picture of the pink patch, it even looks remarkably human-like. Which is understandable, considering that gorillas have opposable thumbs. Interestingly, like all primates, they also have individualized fingerprints and toeprints, which sometimes may be used for identification purposes. Unlike most animals we’re used to seeing, primates have fingernails and toenails rather than claws. They are used for opening and scraping things, cleaning, and scratching.
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Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
According to the zoo, not only is Anaka’s skin unique, but her personality is as well. “[She’s] often barking at her mom and others to get a prime spot for food and juice,” they wrote on their website. “She is often seen riding piggyback on her brother and sisters.”
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Some people were thinking Anaka has vitiligo, a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. But Morena Lale commented that she wrote to the zoo about it and they didn’t confirm it, “I asked this question … and this is their reply: ‘Well, her skin pigment has always been like that and hasn’t changed over the years, so we think it’s just a cool birthmark.'” To learn more about Anaka’s distinctive feature, Bored Panda has reached out to Zoo Atlanta as well.
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Here’s what people said about Anaka and her unique feature
Like Carl Sagan often said, speaking of Primates and our fellow life forms. I consider it to be an honor to be so closely related to other sentient intelligent beings. How can ANYONE doubt that all life on Earth is related! We are all in this together!!
That is such a beautiful and true statement. Unfortunately all I can think of after that last sentence is Red Green saying "Keep your stick on the ice "
Load More Replies...I've seen this gorilla at the zoo in person before, and it's amazing how human they act!!! Her birthmark is super cool!
The article states that the pink pigment area on the hand looks remarkably human like. Is it being implied that the natural black colored areas are less human like?
I had the same thought. Why is it that white skin makes people suddenly say the fingers look human? Intentional or not, it definitely implies that dark skin isn't human. unconscious bias is still bias.
Load More Replies...MY LORD! A HAND! THAT LOOKS LIKE A HAND!!!! Who would've ever thought it possible? oh... wait... I forget that the moronic imbeciles might just be catching up to this stunning revelation
This shouldn't be that suprising considering we share 98% of their DNA, we're basically distant cousins.
ohhhhh woooow a gorilla has similiarities to humans? never thought of that
Is this what it takes for white people to realize that we look an awful lot like primates? The regular dark colored gorilla-hands never triggered that thought? Kinda weird how people are saying the fingers look so ‘human’ all of a sudden, as if being human means to be white. Just wanted to mention this observation, not to call out anyone.
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Have they tested Anaka for any Thyroid issues? Since you are stating she has Vitiligo. Since Vitiligo starts in the extremities she will slowly start changing over the years. (If it isn’t a Birthmark) Will the Zoo watch over the Family to insure her safety. She is Beautiful!
To say that her pink skin makes her look "human" implies that people with dark skin aren't "human." I think this is one fundamental basis of racism.
When I see this and am reminded how genetically close we are to them, it's makes me even more upset with animal testing. The fact that our race believes we are superior to them and can keep them caged up and experiment on must be stopped and made illegal. What amazing creatures!
It's so silly how anyone can deny evolution. You have to be ignorant, and often times willfully ignorant.
It is silly to claim that life came from nothing and that there was no Designer. Just because monkeys are similar to humans, does not mean that no one created them and us. God created the various animals and then created humans. It is not out of the ordinary to think that God created animals in succession, using one part of each animal kind to create the other kinds and then eventually humans.
Load More Replies..."The gorilla has a unique patch of pigment" Make that "no pigment", dummy.
They haven’t been cut (with clippers), they are shaped like that bc they use their hands for literally everything!!
Load More Replies...The evolution has begun (Yeah!). In another 10 thousand years, our roles will be reversed (hopefully).
Hmmm, maybe with a few more dislikes we can revel in your stupidity.
Load More Replies...Your ancestors adapted to living in a cold, darker environment (think winter in N Europe vs Africa). Less skin pigment means more light is getting through so Vitamin D gets produced.
Load More Replies...Like Carl Sagan often said, speaking of Primates and our fellow life forms. I consider it to be an honor to be so closely related to other sentient intelligent beings. How can ANYONE doubt that all life on Earth is related! We are all in this together!!
That is such a beautiful and true statement. Unfortunately all I can think of after that last sentence is Red Green saying "Keep your stick on the ice "
Load More Replies...I've seen this gorilla at the zoo in person before, and it's amazing how human they act!!! Her birthmark is super cool!
The article states that the pink pigment area on the hand looks remarkably human like. Is it being implied that the natural black colored areas are less human like?
I had the same thought. Why is it that white skin makes people suddenly say the fingers look human? Intentional or not, it definitely implies that dark skin isn't human. unconscious bias is still bias.
Load More Replies...MY LORD! A HAND! THAT LOOKS LIKE A HAND!!!! Who would've ever thought it possible? oh... wait... I forget that the moronic imbeciles might just be catching up to this stunning revelation
This shouldn't be that suprising considering we share 98% of their DNA, we're basically distant cousins.
ohhhhh woooow a gorilla has similiarities to humans? never thought of that
Is this what it takes for white people to realize that we look an awful lot like primates? The regular dark colored gorilla-hands never triggered that thought? Kinda weird how people are saying the fingers look so ‘human’ all of a sudden, as if being human means to be white. Just wanted to mention this observation, not to call out anyone.
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Have they tested Anaka for any Thyroid issues? Since you are stating she has Vitiligo. Since Vitiligo starts in the extremities she will slowly start changing over the years. (If it isn’t a Birthmark) Will the Zoo watch over the Family to insure her safety. She is Beautiful!
To say that her pink skin makes her look "human" implies that people with dark skin aren't "human." I think this is one fundamental basis of racism.
When I see this and am reminded how genetically close we are to them, it's makes me even more upset with animal testing. The fact that our race believes we are superior to them and can keep them caged up and experiment on must be stopped and made illegal. What amazing creatures!
It's so silly how anyone can deny evolution. You have to be ignorant, and often times willfully ignorant.
It is silly to claim that life came from nothing and that there was no Designer. Just because monkeys are similar to humans, does not mean that no one created them and us. God created the various animals and then created humans. It is not out of the ordinary to think that God created animals in succession, using one part of each animal kind to create the other kinds and then eventually humans.
Load More Replies..."The gorilla has a unique patch of pigment" Make that "no pigment", dummy.
They haven’t been cut (with clippers), they are shaped like that bc they use their hands for literally everything!!
Load More Replies...The evolution has begun (Yeah!). In another 10 thousand years, our roles will be reversed (hopefully).
Hmmm, maybe with a few more dislikes we can revel in your stupidity.
Load More Replies...Your ancestors adapted to living in a cold, darker environment (think winter in N Europe vs Africa). Less skin pigment means more light is getting through so Vitamin D gets produced.
Load More Replies...
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