Just a gorilla using sign language to tell visitors not to feed it

John Plunkett. Updated October 7th, 2019

We’re grateful to TheSanityInspector for sharing this clip of a gorilla on Reddit which went viral because, well, have a watch for yourself.

Lowland gorilla at Miami zoo uses sign language to tell someone that he’s not allowed to be fed by visitors. from r/aww

And if you’re wondering about the literal translation of the signing, Redditor needs-more-sleep said this.

‘He says “stop. Don’t want/have, stop, stop, stop, stop.”

‘Edit: I agree that it is probably “gorilla” that he is signing instead “don’t want/have”, right now I’m working with kids that use home signs so it messes with me a little.’

And Irethius said this.

‘Fun facts: Most primates tend to be the closest we can get to having straight up conversations with non humans thanks to sign language and the primates ability to learn them.

‘The most interesting part about talking to primates, the thing that separates us most from them, is that they have never asked a question. A similar situation can be observed in very young children, under the age of 4. They tend not to ask questions at early ages, but by the age of 4, the brain develops enough that they begin asking questions.

‘And it’s not like the idea of questions is completely foreign to either of them. Primates get asked questions all the time, and they reply with answer all the time.

‘So the thing that separates us from animals is that we ask questions.’

Source Reddit