Aping Around: Gorilla Entertains Crowds By Striking Manly Pose

Go ape! Gorilla Kivu gets his human on (SWNS)

Some people believe that humans originated from apes, and with pictures like this one it’s easy to see why.

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to a burly bloke, Kivu the 26-stone Western Lowland gorilla regularly entertains the crowds at Paignton Zoo, Devon, by standing upright with his hands on his belly.

The zoo’s curator of mammals, Neil Bemment - also vice-coordinator for the gorilla European endangered species programme - said: “It’s not unknown for gorillas to stand like this - mainly we find it comical because it reminds us of us.

"It has been suggested by primatologists that standing up can be a sign of dominance, but I think he does it just to get a better view and because he can.”

The 12-year-old animal - who shares a bachelor pad with four other males - has been at the zoo for nine years, and loves to play with the crowd and eat lettuce.

He has been seen standing on two legs before, but the behaviour is not thought to be as common in gorillas as it is in some other primates - like humans.