Books / Alan Toyne
‘There is no better sound than hysterical gorilla laughter’: Alan Toyne on being a surrogate parent to baby gorillas
The closure of Bristol Zoo marked the end of an era for Alan Toyne, who had spent the previous 14 years there as a zookeeper – much of it looking after the group of Western Lowland gorillas.
Deciding to document his remarkable experiences during that time, he found a degree of catharsis in the writing process. His memoir, Gorillas in our Midst, which focuses on the story of hand-rearing two baby gorillas – will be published on Thursday.
Toyne’s enduring fascination with the animal world, conservation and primates in particular was first awakened as a child, watching David Attenborough’s famous encounter with mountain gorillas.
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He also cites Dian Fossey – subject of the 1988 film Gorillas in the Mist, starring Sigourney Weaver – as an inspiration.
“It was estimated that the mountain gorilla population was down to 450 individuals when she (Fossey) arrived”, he notes. “Recent surveys now put their number at around 1000.”
Toyne went on to study anthropology with a specialism in primate politics, which afforded him an opportunity to deepen his understanding of the similarities between humans, apes and monkeys.
Photo: Summersdale
This knowledge was vastly expanded during his day-to-day experience of watching gorilla behaviour at Bristol Zoo. When baby Afia was rejected by her mother Kera following a difficult birth by emergency caesarean, Toyne and his fellow keepers had to hand-rear her.
“We would sit with the baby gorilla on one side of the mesh and spend the days encouraging interactions with other members of the group on the other” he recalls.
“It was fascinating to see how the intricate hierarchies between them all were maintained and shifted. The experience highlighted the similarities between human and gorilla social behaviour, as well as physical development and I was exposed to their sense of humour. There is no better sound than hysterical gorilla laughter.”
Since – like humans – primate babies are entirely dependent on their mothers, Toyne had to provide 24/7 care both at the enclosure and in his own home; a period which cemented a “remarkable emotional bond” over “many sleepless nights”.
Alan Toyne, ‘mother to gorillas’ – photo: Summersdale
Later, he and the zookeeper team were faced with helping a second baby gorilla, Hasani, also rejected by his birth mother. Now, their task was to train the now socially isolated Kera to become a surrogate to Hasani, and in doing so to reclaim her own place within the troop.
“Kera was my favourite gorilla”, Toyne reflects, “and it is her journey that forms the storyline of the book. She was my favourite for numerous reasons, the main one being that she was always the underdog, picked on and lonely.
“A massive part of the job was about managing the groups mood to keep Kera included. She had a great sense of humour too and would run from one door to another, trying to get us to chase her and grunt in greeting when you turned up each day.”
Alongside Kerra, Afia and Hasani, Toyne’s memoir also features a cast of characters, including the emotionally volatile silverback, Jock, to the enigmatic Sal and the “stately” Romi.
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Gorillas in our Midst: A Zookeeper’s Tale of Hand-Rearing Baby Gorillas by Alan Toyne is published on April 10 by Summersdale. Also on the day, Alan will be launching his new book at a special event at Watershed, and on May 8 at 7pm, he will be appearing at a book event at Waterstones, The Galleries; details here.
All photos: Alan Toyne / Summersdale
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