Does anyone know where I might obtain a cast of a gorilla's foot, or a grizzly bears, to hang on my wall of casts for a size and structure comparison? I have seen a couple in books, so I know they are out there, but maybe not readily available.

Any info or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Scotto

Just a quick suggestion: Try a zoo. They might even let you cast one yourself, if you were so inclined!
Dudlow

Hey Dudlow, you wanna go to the zoo with me? I'll pay you five bucks to walk into the gorilla paddock, and cast the foot of a 500 lb. silverback while you distract him with a banana.

Next weekend maybe? Just playin. That's probably what I'm going to have to do to get one.

Before you guys go competing with the moronic Wild Boyz, try here:

Bone Clones Gorilla Foot

150 bucks! Can't do that on my budget. Looks neat though. I mean more like a plaster cast.
Thanks for the link.

$150 is cheap, even if it is just a piece of plastic. I don't think you'll find many other options because a zoo is certainly not going to let you near any animals or even an empty enclosure. Some zoos might have ink prints of ape feet for sale (for more than $150 I'd imagine) but I've never seen any casts.

Good luck and let us know if you find anything else.

Apeman

Can any of you enlarge those photos?? I'd love to see if we can see dermal ridges on the foot cast!!!

Crew Chief

no no no. You ask at a sanctuary or a zoo to let you know the next time they have a planned surgery, or medical exam, when they dart the animal to examine him. At a zoo this may happen on a regular schedule.

When they are doing their thing, get in there and make your cast. I am sure they would cooperate. I know the sanctuary I worked at would be very cooperative, especially if you made a small donation while you were there

Edited to add... these exams happened on such a regular basis at one facility that the primates recognized the vet, and when she came near them, they would start throwing pooh at her because they knew what was coming!

If you download the photo & zoom in on it CC & there is some texture (sort of like roughness - I'm sure Apeman will know the proper name) on the foot but I can't see anything on the digits themselves.

Edited to add - Oddly, when you save the picture it's bigger than the original...

1. If any average citizen is allowed the sort of access to captive apes that we are talking about here, I'd love to know about it. There are so many issues regarding liability and disease transmission that I wouldn't know where to start. Any institution that would let someone do so shouldn't be allowed to keep apes.

2. I'm pretty sure the Bone Clones piece is life/death cast, taken directly from the foot of a live or just deceased animal. It therefore would not be a good respresentation of the detail you might (not) find in a cast from a print.

3. Gorillas do have plenty of dermal ridges on their even heavily worn feet. You can find some photos on the web and in a couple books I know of.

cheers,

AM

The sanctuary that I worked at is USDA licensed and regularly inspected, and those that work there would have access to the animals.

I got up close and personal to a black bear while she was under anethesia for dental work. News crews and several others were on hand as well.

I have also been up close and personal with lions, tigers and other large cats while they were drugged.

Hey, Scotto! We almost had our moment! Instead, how about contacting a veterinarian you may know, or find one who does work for a zoo or sanctuary? At worst a vet may be able to steer you in the right direction without risking the kind of disease the Apeman is warning us about.
Dudlow

Hello Dudlow, it's me...the crocodile hunter.

Hey, CrocodileHunter, welcome to the Forum. Either the magic worked or they must have let you in for good behavior! Ah, so, patience Grasshopper....
Dudlow

I meant to mention before, if anyone wants a copy of a gorilla footprint made by a walking gorilla, I have a cast from which I've made a latex mold, and can pour castings. Contact me via PM if'n you're interested. All I ask is shipping and materials (hydrostone or plaster) cost.

Scotto, it's time I give plaster casting a try, but it's kinda late in the year for such an attempt. If I poured plaster now it would freeze before it dried. And I've never tried such stuff, anyway.

I'll do some reading here in the forums on such stuff and give it a try next spring/summer on some bear tracks.

If you can wait that long, I'd be happy to send casts to you. Just pay the shipping. Materials are on me.

BTW, has anybody tried pouring plaster in freezing weather? Can it be done in snow or frozen ground?

Thanks bud!