Staff Didn’t Know What Gorilla Was Holding, Until They Got Closer
According to the World Wildlife Foundation, gorillas share 98.3 percent of their DNA with humans. This means they are able to exhibit human traits such as high-level intelligence and deep emotions.
One particular gorilla caught the attention of staff working at a primate sanctuary when he started doing something unusual. When the staff got closer to him, they knew this was a story they had to share with the world.
This Is A Sanctuary Devoted To Helping Apes
Ape Action Africa is a wildlife conservation organization that rescues and rehabilitates apes. Their goal is to save primates from the dangerous and illegal bushmeat and pet trades. There are currently 280 rescued primates, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys, at Ape Action Africa's Mefou primate sanctuary in Cameroon, Central Africa.
Although they've definitely seen some unusual situations, a certain orphaned gorilla arrived at Mefou and the staff wasn't prepared for what would happen next.
One Of The Largest Conservation Projects In Africa
After almost 25 years in operation, Ape Action Africa has become one of the largest conservation projects in Africa. They try to keep the best living conditions for their primates and to protect them from potential threats in the wild.
The orphaned gorilla's story of arriving at the sanctuary is similar to the hundreds of other apes who have entered their care. Now, with social media, the world is getting a chance to see their work up close and personal.
The Community Is Very Supportive
The community in Cameroon is very supportive of the Mefou primate sanctuary and many of the community members work or volunteer there. The sanctuary also has an education program for local kids.
While the threats to African primates remain, Ape Action Africa and the sanctuary are doing what they can to help orphaned or injured apes return to a safe, controlled, and stable environment. A year of care for the primates costs $337,000 on average, and the sanctuary relies on donations to operate.
Bobo Arrives At Mefou
When Bobo the gorilla was just a baby, his mother was taken away by poachers. Bobo was abandoned without his mother to help raise him, so he needed outside help to survive.
Luckily, the staff at Mefou primate sanctuary were able to take him in when he was two-years-old. It took him some time to warm up to his new surroundings because it was an immense life change, but eventually, he showed his true colors.
Bobo Became The Sanctuary's Leader
Bobo arrived a shy and timid orphaned baby gorilla at Mefou, but grew up to be a natural-born leader. He was very strong and was known as the dominant ape at the sanctuary.
Poachers wouldn't try to mess with the adult-sized Bobo who weighed over 350 pounds. His newfound alpha-male status was something he took very seriously and he guarded that title with his life. As the staff observed him, they noticed something jarring about his personality.
The Alpha-Male Shows A New Side Of Himself
Although Bobo, the 350-pound alpha-male gorilla, ranked at the top of his sanctuary, his true personality wasn't what most would expect. From early on, the staff were able to see how sweet of a gorilla he was.
Bobo was intimidating on the outside, but would remain calm and unbothered most of the time. Elissa O'Sullivan, Bobo's earliest caretaker, thought the behavior he exhibited as an alpha-male gorilla was quite strange. She wanted to find out if there was something wrong with him.
Bobo Would Not Give Up His Elite Status
When the other male gorillas at the sanctuary noticed that Bobo wasn't acting like a typical alpha-male, they tried to dethrone him. "Younger males Kibu and Nkamum once challenged Bobo for his position," said Elissa.
While Bobo didn't want to get into a brawl with the other male gorillas, he still stood up for himself and didn't let them take control over him. Bobo's behavior continued to confuse Elissa and she needed to make sure he wasn't a threat to both the staff and other primates.
He Started Isolating Himself From The Others
The staff at the sanctuary would always notice how Bobo would walk around the enclosure in a confident manner. He knew he was the alpha and had the attitude to match.
Elissa made sure to keep a close eye on him and saw that his behavior changed dramatically. Instead of keeping watch over the others, Bobo would go off by himself into the long grass to hide. When she got closer to Bobo, she noticed that he was hiding something that he didn't want the others to see.
What Was Going On With Bobo?
The staff at the sanctuary were more than understanding of the odd behaviors exhibited by the primates because most, if not all, had been traumatized in some way. Gorillas can experience trauma similarly to humans.
This meant that Elissa and the rest of the workers needed to figure out what was bothering Bobo in order for him to go back to normal. She seemed alarmed at his actions and wasn't sure if this was something that could be fixed.
Getting To The Bottom Of It
Mefou and their staff vow to make sure that every primate that comes to them is given the best care possible. They take their jobs seriously because they know how important it is to keep these apes alive and thriving.
Seeing Bobo not act in a typical alpha-male persona was jarring for Elissa because it seemed rare to find him acting so secretive and aloof. Since she promised to keep all the primates safe, she continued to keep a close eye on Bobo.
Could He Have PTSD?
The staff is aware that most of the primates at the sanctuary have gone through traumatic experiences, which may result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The staff is trained on how to treat the animals if this occurs.
In order to be sure that was what was going on with Bobo, Elissa needed to follow him around. His behavior became more suspicious as he moved through the enclosure. Then, she saw him holding something in his hands.
Elissa Was In For A Big Surprise
After following Bobo around for a while, Elissa saw him covering something in his hands. She didn't want to get too close in case it would disturb or upset him.
Elissa looked all around her surroundings in the long grass by Bobo, but didn't see anything that was out of the ordinary. It was clear that this was something that Bobo wasn't hiding away, but was keeping with him at all times. She had never seen an ape act like this before.
Elissa Realized What He Was Holding
Elissa knew she couldn't get too close to Bobo. Although he was one of the more friendly gorillas, he had recently become more distant around staff and the other animals.
She had to be really careful when stepping closer to Bobo to get a better look at what he was keeping in his hands. When she got closer, she noticed that the object was in fact moving. It had to be some sort of living creature.
Trying To Identify The Creature
Bobo noticed Elissa and the rest of the staff getting closer to him and his creature, so he got spooked and ran off into the overgrown grass. It was clear that he was very protective over whatever he was holding.
Elissa tried to stay back, but she was fixated on the tiny creature. She tried as hard as she could to identify it, but she wasn't able to get a good look. After only getting a glimpse, she still had no clue what it could be.
Bobo The Protector
When Bobo ran away from the staff he made sure to keep his little creature tucked into his paws. He kept poking and prodding it to make sure that it was doing okay.
The weird part about that was that the creature didn't seem to mind being handled by a huge gorilla. The staff had suspected that the animal was a rodent, but its behavior was starting to prove otherwise. Elissa got out her binoculars to get a closer look.
What Could It Be?
It all started to make sense to Elissa when she got a clearer view using her binoculars. This wasn't a rodent, but it was actually a primate.
There was no way this could be a primate that was already cared for by the sanctuary. The staff always made sure they knew the whereabouts of the almost 300 apes living there. This primate had to have come from the wild and Bobo's paternal instincts kicked in seeing it all alone.
The Creature's Identity Finally Revealed
The staff are experts in primates, so it was only a matter of time until they found its true identity. Finally, Elissa and the other staff members concluded that it had to be a galago.
The only way it could have found its way into the sanctuary's enclosure was from the surrounding forest nearby. Galagos are given the nickname "bush babies" because of their distinct crying sound. Mefou had never cared for a galago before and certainly wouldn't put it in the care of a giant gorilla.
Small But Mighty
It was quite rare to see a wild bush baby in the area and Elissa was impressed with how great of a job Bobo was doing as its caregiver. "The bush baby showed no fear of Bobo, moving around his body and spending time hopping around in an open grassy area before choosing to return to Bobo," said Elissa.
The galago was certainly attached to Bobo and trusted him as much as a biological parent. Elissa knew the wild bush baby wasn't supposed to be at the sanctuary, but couldn't help feel touched by Bobo's relationship with the galago.
This Galago Wasn't Normal
Elissa admitted, "Bush babies are usually nocturnal, so it is very rare to see one, and even rarer to witness this kind of interaction." Since galagos are nocturnal, she was so perplexed why this one really wasn't.
Bush babies do almost all of their daily activities during the night including hunting and feeding. Bobo would feed the galago breakfast in the morning and give him more care throughout the day, so Elissa knew this bush baby wasn't normal.
A Perfectly Odd Match
Elissa shared that it was incredibly rare to have animals from an enclosed sanctuary and the wild interact with one another. Animals usually stayed within their own environments, but that wasn't the case with Bobo and the galago.
Since Mefou had a unique location in Cameroon, it was a bit easier for smaller animals to gain entry without the staff noticing. Soon, the other apes in the sanctuary started to discover what Bobo was doing and became intrigued.
Welcoming The Galago With Open Arms
It didn't take long for Bobo's other ape friends to see that he was caring for the galago and they became interested by his actions. Their curiosity grew stronger by seeing their alpha-male be so nurturing.
"The little bush baby was happy to play in Bobo's arms, hopping off to explore the grass nearby, before returning to Bobo's hand," Elissa said. The other primates saw how much Bobo loved the bush baby and started welcoming it with open arms.
Keeping The Bush Baby Safe
Bobo was aware that the other apes wanted to get closer to the galago, but he wasn't sure that would be best. Elissa noticed how he would keep the others at a distance from the bush baby in order to keep him safe and protected.
Then, Bobo realized that the sanctuary may not be the greatest environment for the bush baby. He lifted the little creature up to a tree branch over the enclosure, giving it the opportunity to return to the wild.
Elissa Captured It All On Camera
This was the experience of a lifetime, so Elissa knew it needed to be recorded. She and some of the other staff were able to film Bobo's time caring for the galago for the world to see.
They posted the heartwarming footage on Facebook with the caption: "Our silverback gorilla Bobo made a surprising new friend this week - a wild bush baby!" She continued, "Caregivers discovered him cradling the tiny primate during their morning checks, and were amazed to see him handling it with the utmost care."
People Were Touched By Bobo's Story
It didn't take long for Bobo's story to go viral online with people all over the globe interacting with the video. Bobo's video with the bush baby received almost two million views and over two thousand comments.
People were so touched by the way Bobo cared for the galago, noting that many humans don't regularly exhibit these kind of traits in real life. "And people say animals don't have feelings...this is a perfect example of love. Too bad people aren't like this," said Facebook user Dawn Goddiess Smith.
Bobo Raised Awareness For Gorilla Endangerment
Bobo's story had great significance not only for the sanctuary but for all animal conservation organizations. Bobo was able to raise awareness about gorilla endangerment and what it takes to keep these animals in a healthy environment.
The tropical rainforest in Cameroon is disappearing quickly and poachers are on the rise, so these gorillas need sanctuaries more than ever. Gorillas are also under threat when it comes to climate change, disease, and hunting availability.
Gorillas Are Nurturing Animals
An article in The Atlantic called "Male Gorillas Love Hanging Around With Infants" proves how nurturing male gorillas are and why Bobo's story makes so much sense. "The males, whether silverbacks or subordinates, will cuddle infants, play with them, welcome them into their nests, and just plain hang out with them," said anthropologist Stacy Rosenbaum.
Rosenbaum goes on to say that male gorillas are often incredibly tolerant, gentle, and loving. Many of the infants they care for usually aren't their own.
These Gentle Giants Are In Danger
These majestic creatures have been on the planet for thousands of years, but their livelihood is more threatened now than ever before. Many live around the Congo Basin forest, which is endangered due to local forest conversion from industrial agriculture projects.
According to the IUCN Red List, every species of the gorilla is either endangered or critically endangered. There are only a little over 100,000 gorillas left in the wild with several placed in zoos and sanctuaries similar to Mefou.
They're One Of The Most Intelligent Animals
Gorillas are considered to be one of the world's smartest animal species. Some have been taught sign language, how to make and use tools, and complex ways of thinking.
These animals have deep emotions that can be used to laugh, grieve, develop strong familial bonds, and even think spiritually. One instance of a gorilla using high intelligence was in the Republic of Congo where a female gorilla used a stick to check the depth of a swamp before crossing.
The Closest Relative To Humans
Humans share up to 99 percent of their DNA with gorillas, making them the closest living relative to humans. Gorillas have 25 different vocalizations, which is how they communicate with one another. For example, they may grunt, bark, scream, roar, or belch and each of these sounds have a distinct meaning.
Even with all the similarities, they are still one of the most endangered animals on the planet. A report from the United Nations suggests that gorillas may disappear from the Congo Basin forest by the mid-2020s.
There's Reason For Hope
Although gorillas remain endangered, there's a reason for hope. The internet is vast and people are sharing their passion for helping these animals with facts to back it up.
Several official agreements have been made to protect gorillas from disappearing and volunteers are spending their time and money to make sure these animals are protected. "There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance with a gorilla than with any other animal I know," said natural historian and broadcaster David Attenborough.
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