No Room in the Ark is the book our text is taken from. The title is a parody of a Bible story. As is said in Genesis, after God created mankind and put them on the earth, he later found they became wicked. With regret God decided to send a flood to destroy every living being on the earth. But God was pleased with Noah, the only good man God could find at that time. So God commanded Noah to build an ark, a covered boat, and take into the boat with him his family, a male and female of every kind of animal and bird. Then the flood came on the earth and continued for forty days. Every living being on the earth died with the only exception of Noah and those who were with him in the ark. So when there is no room in the ark for an animal, that animal is really facing the danger of extinction.
    A Most Forgiving Ape is mainly a narration of how the author managed to closely observe the gorilla in its wild state in Central Africa. His love for the natural beauty of Africa and the gorilla is unreservedly expressed throughout the narration. His purpose, of course, is not to entertain the reader with the description of some rare animal. He is really warning the world that the gorilla, so lovely an animal, is facing the danger of extinction unless some effective measures are taken.
The title itself is arresting. It promptly arouses the reader’s interest, for it sharply contrasts with the stereotyped image of the ape—a ferocious animal. The word ‘forgiving’ brings out precisely the basic nature of the gorilla.
    The author begins with the description of the mountains in which the gorillas live. Then he inserts a brief account of the gorilla in various aspects before he comes to describing his exciting encounter with the gorilla. This account is important. By presenting to the reader a charming-looking, forgiving animal with some human qualities and pointing out that this rare species is still being butchered by tribesmen, the author clearly conveys his meaning: effective measures must be taken to protect this rare and lovely animal.