Rescue Gorillas Bicker And Bother Each Other Like Real Life Roommates

At Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon, two rescue gorillas named Jumbo and Adjibolo live together in a protected sanctuary. Like any roommates, Jumbo and Adjibolo occasionally get on each other’s nerves. More specifically, tricky Jumbo is always looking for ways to get under Adjibolo’s skin.

“Jumbo doesn’t let the rain get in the way of her very strict Adjibolo annoying schedule,” Limbe Wildlife Centre wrote in a post about the animals.

Both gorillas arrived at the center after being rescued from Cameroon’s illegal wildlife trade. At 27, Jumbo is the older of the two. She’s very smart — smart enough to constantly find new ways to annoy Adjibolo.

“Jumbo is an extremely intelligent gorilla,” Jerry Aylmer, Limbe Wildlife Centre project manager, and Laura Praill, the center’s fundraising and communications manager, told The Dodo. “She will look straight into your eyes without blinking, which makes you wonder what she is thinking about. She likes to stand upright and walk on her two legs.”

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Adjibolo is a good sport while dealing with her occasionally bothersome friend. Sometimes, she finds it fun. 

“Adjibolo is a playful gorilla,” Aylmer and Praill said. “As the youngest of all the rescue gorillas, she was the baby of the group for a long time. But she has to be in the mood for playtime! She loves to be outside in the rain.”

Though they may bicker from time to time, at the end of the day, Jumbo and Adjibolo are always there for each other. In fact, sometimes, the pair works together during disagreements with Benito, a sub-alpha male rescue gorilla who lives in the enclosure with them.

“Jumbo and Adjibolo have a very close relationship,” Aylmer and Praill said. “Even though Benito is a peaceful male, if there is ever any tension in the group, the girls will team up together to stand up to him!”

Gorillas like Jumbo and Adjibolo are classified as critically endangered, according to the World Wildlife Fund, which means they have an extremely high risk of going extinct in the wild. Aylmer and Praill know that these beautiful animals, who do so much for their environment, deserve a better future.

“Gorillas are ecosystem engineers [and] gardeners of the forest … They are a key part in the critical habitat in which they live, and their actions support many other rare and endangered species,” Aylmer and Praill said. “Gorillas deserve to and should live with other gorillas in a safe, spacious and stimulating environment.”