[Short Ver]Gorilla Story of Jamani 🌹Paul’s first child🦋only daughter ゴリラ　ジェマニのお話💖🥀

Photo by Mr Nakamichi & Woodland Park Zoo San Diego Zoo Paul has four children: his eldest daughter, Gemani; his eldest son, Ajari; his second son, Frank; and his third son, Denny. Today, I would like to share the story of his first child, Jamani Jamani is Paul’s only daughter; however, Paul was just 11 years old at the time—still very young himself—and was unable to spend time with his daughter. Jamani was born on November 12, 1999, at the San Diego Safari Park. Her mother is Ione, the daughter of Winston. This was Ione’s first time giving birth. For the first 12 days, she held the infant close to her chest and attempted to care for her; however—perhaps due to her inexperience as a first-time mother—she struggled to provide proper care for the baby. Ione would leave Jamani lying unattended on the floor. Although Ione’s mother, Alberta, tried to encourage her to hold the baby in her arms, her efforts were in vain. They waited to see if any other female might step forward to act as a surrogate mother for Jamani, but no one did. Alberta appeared concerned for the infant, but—likely because she was no longer lactating—she did not pick the baby up herself. Consequently, Gemani was placed under human-assisted care. However, starting at three months of age, she visited her gorilla family every day to prepare for her eventual return to the group. She remained in the care of her keepers until she was a year and a half old, growing up surrounded by an abundance of love and affection. The keepers went to great lengths to ensure she never felt lonely; for instance, they would wear vests made of black sheep’s wool to make it easier for Jamani to cling to them, and they spent their time playing with her and holding her close. When Jamani was a year and a half old, she returned to Winston’s family group. Upon her return, Winston, Vila, and Camilla gently accepted Jamani and welcomed her into the family; however, Alberta, Penny, and Injole were not particularly friendly toward her. Typically, when young gorillas feel anxious or sense danger, they cling to their mother’s arms or climb onto her back. For a young gorilla, clinging to one's mother serves as a sanctuary—a place of safety and protection. Since Jamani had no mother of her own, whenever she was bullied or felt anxious, she would retreat to her sleeping quarters to spend time alone. On one occasion, she climbed onto Winston’s back; however, as Winston could not fulfill the role of a mother, he gently encouraged her to dismount using his arm. She also found ways to protect herself by staying close to Villa and Kamilah . Since Jamani’s younger brother, Ajari, tended to monopolize Villa’s attention, and Kamilah was occupied with her own daughter, Injia, Jamani sought safety by simply remaining in the vicinity of her aunts. Most of the time, she appeared to ensure her own safety by staying close to Kamilah and N’djia . Although Jamani likely does not grasp the familial ties, Kamilah is, in fact, her grandmother, and N’djia is her aunt. Furthermore, while her mother, Ione, had been caring for Ajari, Aion unfortunately passed away—crossing the "Rainbow Bridge"—when Ajari was approximately eleven months old, and before Jemani had reached her second birthday. When Jamani was reintroduced to the family group, Alberta, N’djole, and Penny were initially less than welcoming. Among them, N’djole proved to be a particular troublemaker; on several occasions, she grabbed Jamani by the leg, dragged her along, and dropped her into the moat situated two or three meters below. Fortunately, Jamani escaped injury and remained unharmed; however, to prevent the risk of future injury, N’djole was separated from the family group at the age of five and a half and transferred to her older brother's bachelor group. Jamani has a younger brother named Ajari, who is one year her junior. While she may not fully comprehend the concept of him being her "brother," Ajari absolutely adored playing with Jamani —the sibling closest to him in size—and would constantly cling to his big sister during their playtime. Ajari held a deep affection for his sister, and in turn, he became a cherished younger brother to Jemani. Additionally, Kebala—who is three years Jamani’s senior—enjoyed looking after his nieces and nephews; I believe Kebala served as a source of emotional support and comfort for Jamani. Until the very day she left her family, Jamani grew up somewhat alone—without a biological mother or a surrogate—and thus never experienced the love or protection of a maternal figure. However, thanks to the presence of her younger brothers, Ajari and Kebala, as well as a kind aunt, Jamani grew into a healthy and spirited young ape. While at the North Carolina Zoo, Jamani welcomed her first son in 2012, and she appears to be doing an excellent job raising him. She currently resides at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle—the hometown of her companion, Kamilah. Jamani, you are amazing ❤️