Anaka has one hand that doesn’t match the rest of her body. 🦍
She is a western lowland gorilla who lives at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia, United States, and in December 2019, when she turned 6, the zoo published some photos to celebrate. That’s when it became clear: while her skin is as dark as any gorilla’s, the fingers on one of her hands have no melanin at all. The contrast is so stark that at first glance it looks like a human hand attached to a primate’s body.
The explanation isn’t completely settled. Some media outlets mentioned vitiligo, but the zoo itself never officially confirmed it — and some believe it’s simply a birthmark, since vitiligo usually appears in several areas of the body rather than in just one spot. What is certain is that the hand became her personal trademark: within the family group led by Taz, the male, it’s what allows her to be recognized instantly. 🐒
