"Two women sacked from their jobs caring for a gorilla in the US have sued their ex-employer for allegedly ordering them to show the animal their
breasts.
Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller claim they were told to show their nipples to the gorilla, Koko, as a way of bonding.
Sign language requests from Koko, the "talking" gorilla, were allegedly relayed to the women by the Gorilla Foundation's head, Francine Patterson.
The Gorilla Foundation, based in San Francisco, strongly denies the claims.
Expose breasts
Ms Alperin and Ms Keller are seeking more than $1m (£528,000) in damages for alleged sexual discrimination, wrongful dismissal after reporting health
and safety violations and outstanding overtime pay.
The pair were among 16 employees at the foundation, best known for the 33-year-old female Koko, who has been the subject of several books and
television shows.
The gorilla is said to use a sign language of 1,000 gestures to communicate with humans and can understand 2,000 words of spoken English.
The pair allege Ms Patterson pressured them on several occasions to expose their breasts to the gorilla, at least twice outside where other employees
could have seen them.
Allegations denied
Their lawsuit said: "Through sign language, as interpreted by Patterson, Koko 'demanded' plaintiffs remove their clothing and show Koko their
breasts."
news.bbc.co.uk...
Yet another story:
"They complained to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health and were fired on Aug. 6, the day after inspectors visited the site and
found code violations, according to the lawsuit."
www.montereyherald.com...
Still another Story:
www.montereyherald.com...
Yet more data:
"Three-month employee Alperin, 47, has returned to social work and is seeking $719,830 in damages. Four-month employee Keller, 48, a longtime sign
language interpreter, is asking for $366,192.
Gorilla expert Kristen Lukas, curator of conservation and science at the Cleveland Metro Park Zoo, said she'd never encountered a gorilla with a
nipple fixation.
"This is absolutely a first," she said. "I've never heard of anything like it."
The zoo's publicist, Sue Allen, said, "Those of us in Cleveland would say: 'Only in San Francisco.' "
sfgate.com.../c/a/2005/02/18/BAGM9BDI191.DTL
If these women were 'attacked" by a male gorilla or one even suggested such a thing it would be destroyed immediately. Has this gorillia been
'taught" this activity? Why is it being tolerated at all?
Why hasn't the "foundation" been investigated by law enforcement?
This animal need to be destroyed if this story is true.
