This Gorilla Sweetly Blew Kisses To A Baby At The Columbus Zoo In Ohio
At an Ohio zoo, an endearing moment between a gorilla and a newborn baby was captured on camera. The video has gone viral on TikTok, amassing more than four million views.
In the 22-second clip, Hannah (@hanessssssssss) held her two-month-old baby Noah up to the glass of the gorilla exhibit at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.
The gorilla can be seen looking closely at Noah while the baby lies in Hannah’s arms. Then, the animal started making kissing gestures toward Noah as if it recognized how cute and sweet the child was.
Hannah and the rest of the visitors who witnessed the scene were wonderstruck. In the background of the video, cries of amazement could be heard from onlookers nearby.
“We have previously seen people interact with gorillas, kids specifically,” said Hannah. “So, we decided to sit next to the glass with our two-month-old to see the gorilla’s reaction.”
Many TikTok users shared their reactions to the adorable interaction. Some comments mentioned the kindness and intelligence of gorillas, while others pointed out that the creatures are more like people than we think.
The gorilla was identified as Mo’ana, a Western Lowland gorilla at Columbus Zoo. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the Western Lowland gorilla is the most numerous of all subspecies of gorilla. They can be found in Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, and other countries in the Congo Basin.
It’s unclear exactly how many of these gorillas exist in the wild because they like to inhabit some of the most remote regions of Africa. Western Lowland gorillas have coats that are brownish in color. You can tell them apart from other gorilla subspecies due to their smaller size.
They are quiet animals that communicate with each other using odors and auditory and visual signals. They are also known for being affectionate with their young.
Edwin Butter – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
The Western Lowland gorilla is considered critically endangered. Over the last 20 to 25 years, their population has declined by more than 60 percent due to poaching and disease. Additionally, the spread of logging has reduced their habitat range and encouraged poaching.
The poaching of gorillas is illegal, but they are still being hunted for the commercial bushmeat trade or for the exotic pet industry. About five percent of Western Lowland gorillas are killed in Northeast Congo every year.
The deadly Ebola virus has also decimated their population. Some scientists estimate that the virus has wiped out about a third of the total wild gorilla population.
According to a 2018 study, more than 360,000 gorillas live in the forests of Western Equatorial Africa. But, 80 percent of those gorillas inhabit unprotected areas. That’s why raising awareness of their plight is important to prevent the loss of such a crucial and caring species.
@hanessssssssss Gorilla kisses for baby Noah ?? #goviral #columbusohio #zoo #fyp #animal #gorilla #family #babylove #babytok #zoodate?? #love #fyp??viral
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