A KEEPER at London Zoo has revealed the unlikely part of his job.
It turns out, gorillas love a cup of tea as much as us Brits – so the workers are tasked with making it by the bucket load.
Despite our physical differences, humans and gorillas have 98.3% of our DNA in common.
And clearly, part of that common ground is loving a good cuppa.
One of the keepers at London Zoo’s Gorilla Kingdom took to TikTok to reveal how they look after their tea-thirsty apes.
“Because it’s summer and it’s so warm, our gorillas also get really dehydrated,” he said.
“But they actually like fruit tea.
“So, what we are very lucky to have here at the zoo is a nice selection of different fruit teas that we mix up.
“Some days, we might just give a little bit of cranberry and raspberry, or we might mix it up a little bit.”
But with the average male gorilla in captivity weighing an eye-watering 160kg (nearly double the average weight of a man in the UK), one tea bag won’t cut it.
Instead, the monkeys get at least five to soak up the flavours- and it’s all served in a huge bucket.
They don’t just have any brand of tea though – they have British-made Twinings.
“They like it to be a bit stronger,” the keeper continued.
“I just break them up a little bit and then just float them in the bucket.
“We let that sit for 10 to 20 minutes, and then it’ll be ready for our gorillas.
“We can also use this for ice lollies and frozen treats.
Being a zoo keeper, also known as an animal keeper, is a dream job for many. But how do you land the rare position?
You can get into this job through a university course, a college course, an apprenticeship or working your way up in a zoo.
Zoos vary in what qualifications they ask for and it can depend on what their zookeepers are going to do, according to GOV.UK.
You could start by doing an intermediate apprenticeship in animal care and welfare. This may help you to get a job as a trainee keeper with a zoo.
You can volunteer in a zoo or wildlife centre to get experience. This will be important, as there’s a lot of competition for trainee jobs.
“It’s a nice way for our gorillas to have a drink or an ice lolly which doesn’t have any sugar in it.”
TikTok users were quick to comment that the summer ritual for the apes was the “most British thing they’ve ever seen”.
“Of course London Zoo gives their gorillas tea,” one quipped.
“The gorillas MUST be British,” another joked.
Gorilla Kingdom is one of the most popular attractions in London Zoo.
The experts at the animal shelter said that its gorilla troop “receive specialist care to ensure they are happy and thriving during the summer heat”.
However, they warned that climate change is making the lives of wild gorillas much tougher.
“Mountain gorillas must now travel further and further to stay hydrated,” they said.
“Which is putting them at higher risk of coming into conflict with farmers and catching human diseases.
“By taking small steps to tackle climate change at home, you will be helping make gorilla life in the wild a little easier.”
