The sweet gorilla, who was just a baby when she was rescued, spends her last moments giving hugs to her protector and best friend, who rescued her when she was in danger.
In 2007, rangers from Virunga National Park rescued a gorilla named Ndakasi who was just 2 months old and was lost in the desert of the Congo.
They discovered him clinging to the lifeless body of his mother, who had been murdered by poachers earlier in the day.
Ndakasi rose to fame thanks to an endearing photograph in which she is seen with two park rangers in the Congo named Mathieu Shamavu and André Bauma. In the photo, Ndakasi is accompanied by the two men.
It appears that a gang of urban militias that hunted wild animals for their flesh were responsible for Ndakasi’s family’s annihilation, leaving her as an orphan to fend for herself.
When all of this occurred to her, she was still very young, so the park rangers brought her to the Senkwekwe Center in Virunga National Park to take care of her.
The compassionate gorilla, whose life was cut short, passed away, but not before she was able to spend her final moments in the arms of the person who had saved her when she was a baby.
People have learned a little bit more about the life of the beautiful and charming monkey as a result of the photo that went viral and made the gorilla famous. In the picture, you can see how she imitates her two keepers.
Gorilla chooses to say her final goodbyes by embracing the guy who rescued her.
André Bauma, a keeper at the gorilla orphanage in the national park, was one of the first people Ndakasi met after she was rescued from the wild.
During the first night that she spent away from her mother, André stayed by her side the entire time, seeing to her needs and providing her with solace.
On their official Facebook page, park employees wrote:
Ndakasi had only been alive for two months when the unfortunate event that resulted in her becoming an orphan took place; her mother had been killed.
Ndakasi, however, made a full recovery as a result of André and the Gorilla Doctors’ treatment. She and Andre share an exceptionally strong connection with one another.
Ndakasi was rehabilitated in the park, and her caregivers are to credit for that. As time went on, she became accustomed to her new environment, and she did so in the company of an orphan gorilla named Ndeze.
It would have been too dangerous for Ndakasi to go back into the wild, and she lived a happy life in the park, where she quickly formed strong relationships with the individuals who looked after her.
Especially with André, they formed a close friendship almost immediately after making eye contact.
Every day of Ndakasi’s existence was treated as a gift by everyone because of the events that led to her rescue when she was a baby.
Sadly, her life was cut short before it had even reached its full potential.
The gorilla guardians made the sad announcement not too long ago that Ndakasi had passed away due to illness at the age of 14.
Despite the tragedy of her passing at such a tender age, it was clear from the way she spent her last moments that she was embraced by a lot of love.
On its social media platforms, the park posted the following:
“After a protracted illness in which his condition deteriorated quickly, Ndakasi exhaled his final breath in the loving arms of his guardian and lifetime friend, André Bauma,”
Even though Ndakasi has been released, her keepers won’t forget about her anytime soon.
And each and every one of her efforts to provide her with a second opportunity and a happy existence will continue, and neither will her work to continue providing hope to orphaned gorillas just like she was.
Last but not least, Andrew says:
“There is a connection that binds us together. A relationship that is extremely, extremely close and personal between the keepers and the gorillas.