Ivan the Gorilla

The other day The Colonel and I were in town and decided to stop in at the local, independent bookstore. We had hoped to say hello to the owners, Cathy and Serena, and then browse around. Cathy and Serena were not there that day but we still browsed. The Colonel and I always find a book(s) when we go to Copperfish Books.

While in the bookstore, we popped into the children's section. We never know if we will find a book for nieces or nephews. I was looking at the books on one shelf, when one caught my eye. It had a picture of a gorilla on it as well as the name Ivan.

I took the book down and called The Colonel to me. I said I wondered if this was a book about the Ivan we first saw 31 years ago, while living in Tacoma, Washington. Yes, it is a book inspired by that Ivan's life.

The Colonel and I saw Ivan for the first time when we visited the B&I store.

The store was originally a hardware store opened in 1946 by Mr. Bradshaw and Mr. Irwin (B&I). Over time the store sold non-hardware items and in 1948 they added a carousel (it was still in service when we were in the store). In 1953, the owners began bringing animals to the store. An elephant named Sammy and chimps named Cathy and Murphy. With all of the animal attractions there, the store became known as the B&I Circus store. In the 1960s, celebrities began to make appearances at the store: Joe Lewis the boxer and Burt Ward (Robin from the television series "Batman"), to mention a couple.

Ivan the gorilla was a western lowland gorilla. He was born in 1962 in the Congo. He and another infant gorilla were captured by poachers and later sold to the owners of the B&I store for $7,500. A contest was held for the naming of the infants. The names had to begin with a B and an I. The winner would get $500. The name Burma (for the female infant) and Ivan (for the male infant) were chosen.

Burma (left) and Ivan (right)

Burma arrived at the store before Ivan. She soon died due to internal complications. Ruben Johnston, the manager of the pet store section of B&I, took Ivan home to live with his family. During his stay with the Johnston family, Ivan appeared in ads and promotions for B&I. He was also co-star in a Daktari episode. He and the Johnstons traveled to California for the three weeks of filming. Ivan was paid $500 a day.

Ivan lived with the Johnston family for four years. He was becoming too big and strong to continue living with them. So, in 1967, Ivan was moved to the B&I store.  He was housed in a 40 X 40 cement enclosure within the store. He would live there for 27 years, never going outside. There were large windows that shoppers and visitors could look through to see Ivan in his enclosure.

The Colonel and I saw Ivan open his birthday presents and eat cake once. He got a basketball (which he eventually popped).

Ivan liked stuffed animal toys. He had a stuffed gorilla. Ivan would swing from a suspended tire that was in his enclosure and he had a television that he liked to watch. He also loved to paint. He particularly liked the color red. Ivan would "sign" his paintings with his fingerprint. His paintings were even sold.

One time, when The Colonel and I were watching Ivan, he ran up to the windows and pounded on them and then ran back away. That was a bit scary. I am sure Ivan liked shocking the onlookers as a joke and a way to mitigate his ennui.

I had a nightmare once or twice about being in the store shopping, with Ivan breaking out of his enclosure and running through the throngs of shoppers to get me.

It made us sad to see Ivan in his enclosure and knowing he had never been outside or had contact with another gorilla. Gorillas are intelligent and social creatures. The times were changing and ideas about keeping Ivan in his "home" were changing too. In 1994, Ivan was loaned to the Atlanta Zoo. At first, he had difficulties socializing with the other gorillas. He preferred A/C, TV and human company.

In 1995, Ivan went out of doors for the first time at the zoo. That first day out he looked at a flower.

Ivan eventually socialized with the other gorillas at the zoo (but still preferred his human relationships). He was observed mating on occasion but he never sired any offspring. He lived at the Atlanta Zoo for seventeen years before his death in 2012 at the age of 50.

Some of Ivan's cremains (ashes) were incorporated into a bronze statue depicting his first day outside. The statue is in Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington (remember, Ivan lived in Tacoma for 32 years).

I finished the book. I liked it. What I really like is that Ivan was able to live the last several years of his life with other gorillas and enjoy the feel of grass under his feet, sunshine on his face and fresh air caressing the silver fur on his back.

(All photos are from the Internet)