Illustration by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com

• SAD to read that the gorilla keeper at London Zoo is concerned that his charges are missing the company of us humans, (Zoo animals are ‘lonely’, November 26).

We also hear from the Duchess of Cambridge about human loneliness suffered by locked down young parents.

Isn’t the solution obvious? Baby-sitting silverbacks could offer a welcome break to stressed out mums and dads.

Pining porcupines and little Daisy and Dwayne would get along just fine in the playpen. That nice old David Attenborough might even drop in for a cup of tea.

B THOMPSON,
Regent’s Park, NW1