英大猩猩直立走路 人模人样
家住英国肯特郡林姆尼港野生动物园的21岁银背大猩猩阿姆巴姆日前被拍摄到用双腿来直立着走路，在网络上轰动一时，其视频点击量超过了15万。阿姆巴姆出生于1990年，重约220公斤，是园内最大的猩猩。饲养员说其他猩猩偶尔也会站起来走几步，但是阿姆巴姆做得最好，能很好地平衡自己的身体。饲养员介绍说通过这种“人模人样”的走路方式，阿姆巴姆可以拿更多的食物，且在雨天不必弄湿自己的双手。Striding purposefully across the ape enclosure, he looks like a portly - and slightly grumpy - commuter in a hurry to catch a train. While most gorillas are happy enough walking around on all fours, Ambam the silverback prefers a more human form of ambulation.[p=30, 2, right][img=289,400]http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/easyEnglish/attachement/jpg/site1/20110131/0023ae731d750eb0a45e44.jpg[/img][/p]
The feat has placed Ambam, a Western lowland gorilla at Port Lympne wild animal park in Kent, on the brink of international stardom. An 18-second piece of footage showing the 21-year-old male walking like a man has become the latest YouTube sensation, viewed by 150,000 people over the last few days. Gorillas usually prefer to get around by 'knuckle walking' – using the padded backs of their front hands to support their huge weights as they move around the floors of forests or zoo enclosures.
However, they will also stand on two legs to reach branches or get a better view, and can walk upright, swinging their arms parallel to their opposite legs to counterbalance their weight. But few gorillas are as good at it as Ambam. Keeper Ingrid Naisby, who has worked with him for 16 years, said: 'It's quite unusual in gorillas but Ambam does it quite often and he can balance very well. Other gorillas do it occasionally, but he will do it for a bit of a distance. 'He's always liked to stand up. It's about getting his balance right and he's well practised. He has perfected it.' Ambam was born at Port Lympne's sister park, Howletts, in 1990. He was moved to Port Lympne aged seven and is now the park's largest gorilla at an impressive 34 stone. Standing upright, he is an impressive 6ft tall. The footage of him was taken by animal researcher Johanna Watson while she was working for a project on great ape locomotion.
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