Max and Pete

Pete and Max

Max was a Western Lowland Gorilla who lived at the Johannesburg Zoo. He was born in 1971 in Germany's Frankfurt Zoo, came to Johannesburg as a two year old, and died there at the ripe old age of 33 in 2004.

Max became famous world wide in 1997 when he was shot and wounded by a criminal who entered the gorilla enclosure at the zoo while attempting to evade police. He became an instant celebrity, while the man - later convicted for rape, robbery and wounding a gorilla - was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Max was one of the Zoo's most beloved animals and was immortalized with a statue in 2009. The statue is a favorite among the children who visit the Zoo. They climb all over him and there is almost always at least one or two sitting on Max's lap for a picture.

Pete is a Capetonian now living in Joburg and he has had quite an amazing story too. While pursuing a Ph.D in Zoology, he studied leopards in the wild. He is a bush pilot who has flown into (and more importantly successfully landed in) some of the remotest parts of Africa. He's sailed around the Cape of Good Hope. He is a World Wildlife Conservationist and the man responsible for the World Heritage designation given to the archaeological site of Mapungubwe National Park. And while he was studying for his undergraduate degree in Zoology, he helped take care of Max when he was first introduced to the Zoo.

Pete's wife Diane told me a story about Max when he just a wee babe. Max had manged to escape his enclosure and was running freely around the Zoo. Everyone, including Pete, were frantically racing about trying to return Max to the safety of his new home. Max found himself in unfamiliar territory desperately trying to find his way home too. Pete became the hero of the day when Max recognized him, ran towards him and jumped into his arms for safety!

Today Pete turned 60 years old and he wanted to commemorate his special day visiting with his old pal Max at the Johannesburg Zoo. Diane invited me along to meet Pete and witness the "reunion". Personally I thought he should have sat on his lap for this picture. HBD Pete!