Gorilla in US zoo addicted to smartphone, watches YouTube and takes selfies

Are you addicted to smartphones? Well, most of us these days are. But that is a very common phenomenon, right! Well, here we are not talking about humans but about an animal. Yes, you heard it right. We are talking about a gorilla who is addicted to smartphone.

A international media report suggests that a gorilla named Amare, which lives in Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, has a special affinity towards smartphones. This 190 kg gorilla has become so addicted to smartphones that once he was completely unaware that another gorilla was coming from behind to attack him.

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Since then the zoo officials are worried about him and are trying hard to get rid of his addiction.

Takes selfies and watches YouTube

The gorilla doesn't have a smartphone, so how did he get addicted? Well, from the smartphones people who came to the zoo use to click his photos. Zoo-goers keep showing the creature pictures and videos on their phones through the glass divider. That keeps him captivated. 

The problem has got bad enough that zoo staff have put up a rope to keep people back from the glass partition and often request people not to click selfies and show him funny videos on YouTube.

According to the zookeepers, Amare gets distracted by the bright displays and they are trying to cut down his screen time. Despite being locked in his glass cage, he is addicted to the phone. He takes selfies with people and also watches YouTube videos on their phones.

Zookeepers worry for Amare

Zookeepers fear that other gorillas may harass and aggressively attack Amare. It could lead to bullying and, as the zoo puts it, 'severe developmental consequences'. The problem here is that the more Amare seems interested in the phones, the more people want to show them. 

Zoo Director Stephen Ross said that he is concerned that the gorilla is too busy looking at the phone screen. Whereas he should spend that time with his fellow gorillas. Now the people of zoo have created a buffer zone, so that people cannot go too close to the gorilla. In this way, he wants to keep the gorilla away from the phone and let him spend more time with his companions.