The Aspinall Foundation is a charity that promotes wildlife conservation and reintroduces captive gorillas back into the wild in west Africa. Five years ago, John Aspinall, the founder of this organization, released one of these gorillas, Kwibi, back into the wild. This video depicts their reunion. It’s a stunner. Read about their amazing work here.
I've been hearing about that lion. Will have to see that video, too. There's something tremendously moving about these animal videos.
Breathtaking. Thank you for sharing.
I love this story! I reminds me of Christian the Lion! (Also part of a longer Animal Planet documentary).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqhJuwUukX8&feature=related
This brought tears to my eyes.
Animals most definitely think and feel.
I see it everyday with my own cats.
The birds in my yard as they make a rucus when my black cat goes out with me and then how they calm down because I'm out there too to keep an eye on her.
I also had two terriers many years ago and one of them would definitely get jealous at times.
Animals have so much to teach us.
A wonderful reunion, such magnificent, powerful yet sensitive animals.
I do understand Von's point though.
I hope humanity evolves to the point where they see animal testing as barbaric. I loved Crichton's early books. But once he became a climate change denier – and conferred with Bush about it – I stopped buying his stuff. Climate change denier, from a guy who climbed Mount Kilamanjaro, which has hardly any snow these days.
I first got interested in "interspecies communication" when I read Michael Crichton's novel "Congo" in 1993. But, with his novels, I never knew what he made up and what was a real possibility (one of the reasons why he became my favourite novelist). Then, I learned about KoKo, the gorilla who was taught sign language. In 2000, I found a book in the remainder bins of Barnes and Noble called "Next of Kin" by Roger Fouts, which is about his lifelong study and care of teaching chimpanzees sign language.
I remember being taught that animals are "dumb" and that they mimick humans, but its not a sign that they actually know how to communicate. I'm glad that many people are proving otherwise…that animals do have memories and are able to communicate with humans. My parents, who have several dogs, witness this every day. One of their dogs is jealous of the other dogs. Yes, dogs get jealous. Scientists might attribute something else or dismiss it, but animals do have a range of emotions.
The close connection between humans and our primate cousins is a big reason why I'm against any kind of testing on them. It makes me sad to hear about universities and science labs using them for experiments.
like nancy, i've always had such admiration for gorillas – such totally magnificent creatures – it was beautiful to see the depth of this human/animal relationship – simply beautiful – and a lesson i think for us all to remember how we all share that connectivity of "feeling" and "memory" – fantastic post, macgregors!!!
I was blown away by this video. It illustrates how strong animal memories are, I think, but also the kind of love that can develop. I see what you mean, Von, and I was wondering the same thing until I saw the way Kwibi hugged him there at the end.
Have to wonder whether it was right to find him and disrupt his life again.Who was it for?
This made me cry. What a beautiful, beautiful story. I must watch the whole story on Animal Planet. I so love gorillas. They ares such magnificent creatures. Thanks for sharing this video.