Trio go ape over photos of new lover

THE hearts of three female gorillas were set racing yesterday when they were shown a picture of their new foreign lover.

The three singletons at ZSL London Zoo got a sneak preview of the 12-year-old stud Yeboah, who will be joining them this autumn from La Boissiere Du Dore zoo in western France.

Mjukuu, 10, Effie, 16, and Zaire, 34, have lacked male attention since the death of silverback Bobby in December.

Staff at the zoo offered the animals a tantalising glimpse of his hulking 20-stone replacement to see if they would make an association between the face in the picture and Yeboah’s face when he arrives.

Tracey Lee, team leader of the zoo’s mammal south department, said: “It would be nice to think they’ll recognise him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the penny drops when he arrives.”

Staff at the French zoo are also showing German-born Yeboah pictures of the females so that he can get to know their faces too.

It is hoped that Mjukuu, the biggest flirt of the trio, will get pregnant very quickly.

Ms Lee said: “Mjukuu was holding the picture as if she was reading a newspaper. We think Yeboah will go for her first because she’s very pretty, very social and she’s a terrible flirt. She used to hug Bobby and sit on his knee all the time, while looking over her shoulder at the others.”

Parents may be hoping that Mjukuu will be more discreet than she was with Bobby and refrain this time from mating with Yeboah in public, sparing them awkward questions from their children.