Moment playful gorilla steals conservationist's hat before giving him tender hug
As our second closest relatives, gorillas resemble humans in many respects and can behave in remarkably human ways – sometimes even offering a hug.
The touching encounter happened on 11 November at Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury, Kent, a 90-acre ancient parkland that is home to over 390 animals including giant anteaters, leopards, and monkeys. In the video, 63 year-old animal conservationist and chairman of The Aspinall Foundation, Damien Aspinall, can be seen crouching down in front of 37 year-old gorilla Tambabi before she steals his baseball cap -and the pair embrace.
Tambabi can also be heard grunting and gurgling. According to a Howletts spokesperson, these are "very loving sounds" indicative of a profound – and rare – trust between the pair.
Damian is crouched in front of Tambabi the gorilla, who takes off his cap and puts it on (Damian Aspinall / SWNS)The spokesperson said: "Tambabi and this family of gorillas only interact in this way with Damien and his conservationist daughter Freya Aspinall. Tambabi has known both Damien and Freya since her birth"
It is for this reason that the park hasn't attempted to initiate such close contact with any of their other staff. It added: "It's not something Damien would encourage other people to do as they are wild animals and not pets.
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"This relationship is only possible through a lifetime of mutual trust, no training or taming. No shortcuts. No tricks."
Since 1987, the Aspinall Foundation has been working with the governments of Congo-Brazzaville and the neighbouring state of Gabon to protect a gorilla habitat the size of Kent within the savannah ecosystem of the Batéké Plateau. The "Projet Protection des Gorilles" (PPG) works with local partners to reverse the rapid population decline of critically endangered western lowland gorillas.
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