A cheeky silverback gorilla took advantage of the recent snowfall and showed off his playful side after Belfast Zoo closed its doors due to Arctic conditions.
As snow and ice covers parts of Northern Ireland, with several schools and roads closed across the region, Belfast Zoo announced on January 16 that the visitor attraction will remain closed until weather conditions improve.
The zoo went up a mailalong with a video of the gorilla, on their Facebook page, which reads: “Belfast The zoo is closed today due to winter weather. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Far from the public eye, a primate, named Gugas, dedicated himself to exploring the layer of snow that covered the terrain of his enclosure, delicately forming snowballs.
Gugas was filmed by a zookeeper on Tuesday, who captured the fascinating moment when the silverback exhibits an impressive level of creativity and concentration.
A silverback gorilla, named Gugas, explored the layer of snow that covered the grounds of his enclosure at Belfast Zoo, delicately forming snowballs.
Belfast Zoo announced on January 16 that the visitor attraction will remain closed until weather conditions improve.
In the footage, Gugas can be seen standing on his legs in a hunched position, taking care not to place his butt on the cold floor.
Using his right arm, the gorilla strategically sweeps the snow toward him while focusing on building a snowball from the pile, using his left hand as a base.
Gugas appears to be deeply focused on his task, maintaining eye contact with the mound of snow while firmly rounding his snowballs.
The motive behind this winter effort remains a mystery, leaving zoo staff entertained and intrigued by the gorilla’s unique behavior.
The incident not only brought joy to the zookeepers, but also became a viral hit on social media, with Gugas gaining unexpected fame as a snowball-savvy silverback.
Reflecting the gorilla’s intelligence and adaptability, the incident has attracted crowds of eager visitors awaiting the zoo’s reopening to catch a glimpse of Gugas and his winter antics.
On Belfast Zoo’s Facebook post, the video received more than 2,000 likes from animal lovers, and more than 800 people gushed about the gorilla’s antics in the comments.
One person said, “How adorable,” while another jokingly commented, “He’s trying to make a snow gorilla!”
Using his right arm, the gorilla strategically sweeps the snow toward him while focusing on building a snowball from the pile, using his left hand as a base.
On Belfast Zoo’s Facebook post, the video received more than 2,000 likes from animal lovers, and more than 800 people gushed about the gorilla’s antics in the comments.
One wishful person wrote, “I’d love to see them in the snow,” to which their friend replied, “I’d love to see them for a day!”
As Northern Ireland’s capital embraces winter conditions, Gugas’ playful antics serve as a reminder of the delightful surprises that nature and wildlife can bring, even during temporary closures.
Meanwhile, in the US, a cuddly polar bear at the Buffalo Zoo has been making the most of the winter storm and has been filmed rolling around in the snow.
Luna, 11, was seen making snow angels as small flakes fell from the sky in New York on Tuesday morning.
‘Luna celebrates #VictoryTuesday with some polar bear snow angels!’ the zoo wrote in the video’s caption on Instagram.