Gorillas are fascinating animals. They’re majestic, proud and incredibly intelligent. They’re very similar to us humans, and they’re said to have a wider range of emotions than most other species.
They only live in the wild in Central Africa, but they also live in captivity in large parts of the world. Thankfully, there are many organizations working to make sure that as many gorillas as possible can be rehabilitated and returned to their natural environment.
That’s where they belong, after all!
Damian Aspinall is one of those people. He runs the conservation charity The Aspinall Foundation, and he has worked to help and protect endangered species for decades. He is especially passionate about rehabilitating and reintroducing captive gorillas to the wild, Honesttopaws writes.
And in 2003, that’s exactly what he did with two male gorillas – Djalta and Ima. He instantly formed a special bond with them, and it was tough letting them go.
Wanted to introduce his wife
These two gorillas used to be kept in a zoo in England. But thanks to the Aspinall Foundation, they were eventually able to be transported to a nature reserve in Gabon, where they now live in the wild – protected from poachers.
14 years later – in 2017 – Damian and his wife traveled to Gabon to find the two gorillas who had made a major impact on him. He was eager to introduce his wife to them, but he was nervous and unsure of how they would react to her.
After hours of traveling and searching, they finally found Djalta and Ima. Thankfully, they were doing great! The video of their reunion has now been viewed by more than 13 million people – and the ending is absolutely wonderful. I just had to laugh out loud!
These animals are so intelligent and amazing! My heart is melting!
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