Fran and the Lucky Little Duckling

Probably you're all thinking now that I'm talking about Pipke and me.

Of course: Pipke was a lucky little critter because I was there to save her during a heavy rainstorm at the moment that she was born in an abandoned nest.

The human Fran and her lucky baby duckling Pipke

But – there's now also an other little duckling that was saved by someone who's called: Fran.

You will never guess it; that last Fran where I'm talking about “isn't a human”.

No - it's a friendly giant: a gorilla at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

I want to explain how I discovered this. Actually it happened pure by chance.

Already quite some time ago someone has sent me an endearing picture of a gorilla and a tiny duckling.

(What the sender probably did not know was that “that friendly gorilla”, who's the savior of the duckling is also called: Fran.)

Of course the picture touched me because it brings back memories.

So - because I'm someone who wants to know the story behind the picture - who goes more profound into things - I went to search on the Internet and found out this wonderful story that follows in this post.

Only by reading the touching story I discovered that I have an “animal namesake” with also a lot of empathy.

And yes, also the “behavior” of those great giant Fran got my interest, I wanted to know more about that. I'm not going to bother you with *all the interesting information I found on *Wikipedia. You know where to find it.

The main point is that they say there that: Primates and in particular great apes are candidates for highly developed capabilities for empathy .

So - when people say as an insult: “you behave as an animal”, I actually see this rather as a compliment.

I also discovered there the story about Koko the female gorilla with also a lot of empathy. If you don't know her already down below in this post you can find a link to a YouTube film about her.

Now back to the main topic: Fran the gorilla and the lucky little duckling. 

(Actually the reason why I planned to write this post.)

Here follows a part of the story published in the newspaper The telegraph

published on October 7, 2011. Click on the link to read the full story. 
(Note: Look how good the quality of the pictures taken by Tom Warren is. You must know they were taken through a thick piece of plexiglass!)

A wonderful moment between two unlikely friends
This huge gorilla and tiny duckling became unlikely friends after the bird escaped into the ape's zoo enclosure. Visitors to the zoo ware stunned when the baby duckling suddenly appeared inches from the primate. Feeling the 90kg western lowland gorilla might react badly to the feathered visitor, onlookers held their breath to see what would happen. The gorilla became fascinated with the bird and inspected its new friend with a stick. The 15 year ols female ape, called Fran, happily let the duckling waddle about before it was removed by the zookeepers.
Photographer Tom Warren captured the scene at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

Tom Warren/Solent News.

Twigged ... Fran checks out her new feathery chum with a stick

Tom Warren/Solent News.

The duckling is accepted into the gorilla group

Tom Warren/Solent News.

The frendly gorilla Fran

 has a quacking time with a tiny duckling

Tom Warren/Solent News.

I hope the great giant Fran could capture your heart.

She surely has captured mine.

I have used this quote already before but, here - at this place - it's really an appropriate quote to close this post with:

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."

James Herriot

Fran the gentle gorilla is a confirmation of it!

PS: May I invite you to look at this endearing YouTube film about Koko the gorilla.

Here you see Koko who expressed sadness over the death of her cat All Ball. Look how she shows her empathy and how lovingly she treats the kittens.