A 25-stone gorilla has an unusual bond with a tiny bushbaby — so little that it is smaller than the gorilla’s thumb. In lovely photographs, Bobo, a gorilla in need of rescue, is shown cradling his new young friend and looking at him with wonder. The ‘fair and compassionate’ Western lowland gorilla even let the small bush baby to crawl over his body after their intimate relationship. Photographer Alex Benitez captured these pictures at Cameroon’s Mefou Primate Sanctuary.
#1. As these unusual animal partnerships demonstrate, best friends don’t have to look alike to function well together. The sight of a gorilla cradling a bushbaby in the palms of his 25-stone bulk is breathtaking. Ape Action Africa has about 300 rescued primates in Cameroon, including gorillas, chimps, and monkeys. Bobo, a 2-year-old western lowland gorilla, was brought to the sanctuary in 1994 after his mother was slain by poachers.
#2. Last week, Bobo, our silverback gorilla, got a new companion — a wild bush baby!” Ape Action Africa wrote on Facebook: “The caretakers were astonished to see him cradling the small monkey with such compassion during their morning inspections.”
#3. Ape Action Africa spokeswoman Elisse O’Sullivan says the bush baby had been residing in the gorilla’s cage. Her claim is that , “the bush baby showed no fear of Bobo, wandering around his body and spending time in an open grassy area before returning to Bobo.”
#4. Bobo’s new buddy quickly drew the interest of the other gorillas, which included three females, three young males, and one adult male. Robert developed a strong attachment to his little buddy, keeping the rest of the group at arm’s length.
#5. According to the sanctuary, while his group mates, especially his favorite Avishag, were intrigued, Bobo maintained them at a safe distance, ensuring that no one touched his new companion. Bobo hopped off to examine the grass nearby as soon as his arms were free, then returned.
#6. You may donate to Ape Action Africa’s care of Bobo, his pals, and hundreds of other rescued monkeys by visiting their website.
You can watch their friendship here.
Image/Video Credi & More Infot; apeactionafrica/Alex Benitez | Ape Action Africa/Facebook | Watchjojo Animals
