Introduction#

Good morning, and welcome to “Here’s a Minute” — a short-form podcast with history, fun facts, and a prompt in a minute or two. It’s December 22nd, 2024. I’m Vian Vera.

Historical Fact#

And I’m Lex Wu. On December 22nd, 1956, the first gorilla was born in captivity at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio. Zookeepers helped raise the gorilla — which was completely unprecedented at the time.

Fun Fact#

Gorillas can run up to 25 mph (or 40 km/h) and can be 4–10 times stronger than a human. With that in mind, here’s our prompts for the week.

Writing Prompts#

The gorilla you’ve been raising in captivity has escaped their exhibit. You’re the one in charge of making sure it doesn’t do too much damage. Describe what happens next.

Or, describe the perspective of the baby gorilla as it wakes up into life at the zoo, before being whisked away from its mother.

Outro#

We haven’t quite got our online portal yet, but we’ll soon be releasing a companion podcast and website, so your work can be featured online.

This podcast was written and hosted by Vian Vera and Lex Wu. We’ll see you next week!