See The Gorilla Who Learned to Swagger Like a Man and Show Just How Similar We Are

You and the gorilla in this clip share approximately 98% of the same DNA. Remarkable, isn’t it? While they definitely have a different appearance than humans, with most of their bodies covered in thick hair, they do share several similarities with humans.

For one, we both have opposable thumbs. We also share a similar ear structure. But that’s not all—even the gestation period for gorillas is similar to that of humans! For gorillas, this period between conception and birth is about eight and a half months. For humans, it’s nine months.

And as you’ll see in this next clip, gorillas have the capacity to observe human behavior and mimic it.

Ambam is a silverback gorilla at Port Lympne Safari Park in the United Kingdom. The video starts with an introduction to this unique gorilla. He has learned to stand on his two back legs. The video cuts to a scene of Ambam standing completely upright, reaching his full height of six feet.

His feet are firmly planted on the ground, his long arms are calmly resting at his sides, and he turns over to look at the camera—the posture is completely human (even the side-eye he’s giving makes you look twice!). He looks down at the floor to his left and behind him, perfectly keeping his balance.

The narrator shares that Ambam first learned how to keep his balance in this position and then began going on increasingly lengthy strolls. The video cuts to a clip of Ambam that went viral and made him the internet sensation he is today.

In the clip, Ambam can be seen on the right side of the screen standing upright. He swaggers across the enclosure, like a man on his way to an important meeting. Other gorillas sharing the same enclosure can be seen on all fours, minding their own business.

This type of behavior in gorillas is rare. Since the original clip went viral, people have flocked to the safari park to catch a glimpse of Ambam, who with his own curiosities and ambitions, has managed to become famous.

Silverbacks can be unpredictable, intimidating, and amusing. Check out the following videos for more footage of silverback behavior:

• Watch A Huge Silverback Intimidate His Own Reflection
• Silverback Charges Children at the Zoo And Breaks The Protective Glass
• Watch These Furious Silverbacks Fight It Out at the Zoo!
• Sassy 400lb Silverback Slides Like Michael Jackson, Then Moons Zoogoers

Up Next:

• Watch This Gorilla Go Ballistic Upon Seeing His Reflection and Thinking Its a Challenger
• Did You Know There’s a Talking Gorilla? Watch the Video for Yourself…
• Watch What Happens When a Zookeeper Introduces a Silverback to Their Newborn