The Paignton Zoo in the UK posted pictures of a gorilla named Pertinax playing with a rugby ball on September 16. Pertinax in the pictures is holding the rugby ball and playing with it like a true rugby professional.  While posting the images, the official twitter handle of the zoo wrote, "Western lowland gorilla, Pertinax, has been testing out his rugby skills ahead of the #RugbyWorldCup! The rugby balls are a great form of environmental enrichment, being novel items that provoke curiosity and stimulate play". The Paignton Zoo located in Devon, England is a charitable zoo that has around 2000 animals belonging to different species living together. The pictures were shared at the time of the Rugby World Cup starting from September 20 in Japan.

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Balls are novel items

According to the Zoo officials, the rugby balls were donated to the Zoo by Lovell Rugby which is the largest online rugby store in the world. The gorilla showed some really fine skills with the rugby ball. A senior keeper said to the Zoo the balls are 'novel' items and they stimulate the animal to play which is an outstanding idea for their environmental enrichment. They said they the zoo staff even put a coat of honey on the rugby ball for more motivation. The zoo official said that they are grateful to the rugby ball company Lovell for donating balls for the animals. The Paignton Zoo uses balls as enrichment devices for the animals living there. Animal enrichment is important to improve their environment. 

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Zoo jokes off saying Pertinax fit to represent England team

Pertinax is about 6 feet tall and weighs over 190 kgs. The zoo jokingly says that the 37-year-old Pertinax can also play rugby for the country in the upcoming world cup scheduled in Japan. The zoo even said that since he is senior in age, the players will be careful before messing with him. Pertinax is pure vegetarian and eats food filled with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beetroot, kale, leeks, aubergine, chicory and parsnip. The 6 feet tall gorilla is as fit as any player and has been practising the sport well. 

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