A 430-pound gorilla named Patrick is on the move from Dallas to South Carolina. But he isn’t taking a vacation to check out the sights.
Deputy Dallas Zoo Director Lynn Kramer says the animal was neglected by his mother and raised by humans – and, as a result, has had difficulty bonding with other members of his species.
Especially, the females.
“We’ve made a colossal effort to work with him,” Kramer told The Dallas Morning News. “He’s definitely a staff favorite and he would have been a successful leader for a troupe here. But it was not to be.”
Patrick has reportedly treated women worse than Joe Francis, nipping at them and "exerting dominance" when placed in their vicinity, according to the zoo’s Facebook.
The females "became so stressed that they couldn’t eat," the zoo sadly explained.
Due to his behavior, Patrick will live in his own enclosure at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, S.C., where he’ll be in a better habitat. For him.
"Patrick isn’t going away for "therapy" and he’s not "antisocial," the zoo said.
"He is simply socialized more to people than to gorillas, so he prefers to be alone."
"This carefully planned move has been years in the making, involving gorilla experts from across the nation, and is the best move for him and for our Zoo."