When wildlife photographer, Gordon Buchanan, and his BBC crew traveled to the the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they all hoped for some unique encounters with the endangered silverback gorillas. Nonetheless, none of them would ever hoped for such an incredible sighting. The filmmakers, accidentally caught a moment that shows how protective these majestic animals are, when comes to their families!
The crew were in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, when witnessed the once-in-a-lifetime moment. They were on a road that goes through the jungle, with their cameras set on, when a massive silverback gorilla found his way out to the bushes. Upon such a sight, everyone got so excited, yet they had no idea what the massive ape was planning.
But soon as the huge male gets in the middle of the road, he stuns there, full of confidence, despite being watched by so many eyes. Not even a full loaded truck that was heading towards him, doesn’t seems to alarm him at all. This is his territory. Then, with the head of the family making sure the road is safe, the whole family from mothers to youngsters are casually crossing over, with the bold male being the last one that finds his way through the bushes from the other side of the road.
The silverback gorillas, like most of the apes, are overprotective when comes to their families. They are all ready to protect their babies, even with their own lives, if necessary.
“Mothers are highly protective of their young; many have paid with their lives trying to protect their offspring against poachers,” the Gorilla Highlands website reads.”Children learn so much from their mother and other troop members that it is very difficult to re-introduce young rescued gorillas into the wild.”
Watch the incredible moment, below!