Western gorilla (male), Beekse Bergen, Netherlands

This is Komale, a male gorilla as part of a harem of 3 females. At the time of this photo, Komale was 13 years old and a father of two.

A famously misunderstood animal. A peaceful and calm vegetarian, for as long as you do not challenge his dominance. What happens when the raw power of a male gorilla is set loose is permanently engraved in dutch culture by means of the word: "Bokito-proof".

It's a reference to an incident in 2007 where Bokito, a male Gorilla housed in a zoo near Rotterdam, managed to escape his enclosure and severely wounded a woman and injured 3 others. The particular woman had been visiting Bokito several times per week for a long time. She would tap the glass, smile at the gorilla, and stare at him. Zoo staff repeatedly told her to stop doing this, but she continued, claiming to have a special bond with him. The bond was indeed special, but not in a good way. Tapping, smiling and staring taunts gorillas.

It had been Bokito's second escape, hence "Bokito-proof" refers to the extreme amount of counter measures one must take to resist a rare but explosive outburst of aggression.