Monday, December 21st 2015. A man comforts a wild mountain gorilla after it lost its mother, which manifests the possibility of cohabitation and good relations between humans and animals. The loss of a father can be a tragic experience not just in a person’s life, but also some animals show feelings of deep grief and sadness.
The pain is so real for this little mountain gorilla, after poachers raided their habitat and killed its mother. In a highly emotional display of grief and loss, the dismayed gorilla holds onto a Park Ranger called Patrick Karabaranga for support. The image that embodies the gorilla’s melancholy was taken in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It perfectly showcases the gorilla’s ability to express the pain for his loss, and the compassion a man felt for a different species; which represents a priceless gesture in a world where human activity continuously invades wild gorilla’s lives.
Mountain gorillas are also an endangered species, mankind being the main responsible for this situation, as usual; since the highest causes of death are loss of habitat –not just for gorillas, but many other jungle animals-, massive deforestation, infection with human diseases and war.
Every day, over 32.000 hectares of tropical jungle are destroyed in the name of wood, agriculture and mining industries; plus wood companies involuntarily support human threats to gorillas such as poachers, who use their roads to access their spaces and transport their meat.
The parents of this and two other smaller gorillas were murdered by poachers and illegal traffickers outside the park, which left the little ones devastated and looking for new parent figures. A terrible situation that Park Ranger Karabanga handled remarkably well, he went close to the little one that was sitting crestfallen and upset, he hugged him to show his understanding and affection, a gesture well received; since the gorilla reciprocated by putting his hand over the man’s leg, thankful.
Currently undergoing Conservation efforts have had success in protecting and restoring the wild gorilla population, however, there remains a lot to do. In Virunga National Park there are around 200 mountain gorillas, while around 800 roam around the center of Africa. This beautiful bond between two species shows us we are much more alike than we may have thought.
ALFA