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‘Sexist’ gorilla sent to therapy

Posted at 11:51 AM, Sep 25, 2013
and last updated 2013-09-29 21:39:57-04

DALLAS, Texas (WTVR) -- A 400-pound male gorilla from a zoo in Dallas is being sent to South Carolina for therapy.

Zoo officials are hoping for an attitude readjustment for Patrick, the so-called sexist Western Lowland Gorilla who has been characterized as anxious and even troubled.

Patrick has spent 18 years at the Dallas Zoo. His keepers call him beautiful, intelligent and outgoing, towards humans. Other primates, especially females, are not thrilled about Patrick's  behavior.

Zoo officials said Patrick gets along fine with humans, but tends to go all ape on the ladies. In fact, he once bit a female gorilla and sneered at another.

As a result, Patrick is leaving behind his bachelor pad at the Dallas Zoo and being relocated to the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. While there, therapists will work to re-socialize the primate.

According to zoo officials, Patrick’s troubles stem back to his childhood when he was abandoned by him mother at the Bronx Zoo in 1990.

The baby boy was raised by humans at the Toronto Zoo until he was 5, which could be the reason he is anti-social around other gorillas.

Zola, his new replacement at the Dallas Zoo, is also getting some attention. Zola breakdances.