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'Gorilla selfie': Congolese ranger explains how he snapped viral photo 'Gorilla selfie': DRC park ranger explains photo that went viral
(about 8 hours later)
Two gorillas stand behind a park ranger, one at a side angle, with her shoulders back, head up, apparently posing. The other seems to be peering around the back of the human to make sure she’s in shot. They pout, tilt their heads, and turn one hip to the camera for a slimmer silhouette, their brown hair catching the light as they pose for a selfie.
The photograph or gorilla selfie, as it has been dubbed went viral after it was shared by Mathieu Shamavu, a ranger at Virunga national park in eastern Congo, who captured the shot. But these are no tourists: they are Ndakazi and Ndeze, two orphaned gorillas in Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And they forgot to suck their bellies in.
Shamavu said he was checking his phone when he noticed two female orphaned gorillas, Ndakazi and Ndeze, mimicking his movements behind them, so he took a picture with them. The “gorilla selfie” went viral after it was shared by Mathieu Shamavu, the ranger who captured it.
Shamavu said he was checking his phone when he noticed Ndakazi and Ndeze mimicking his movements behind them, so he took a picture with them.
'We know we may be killed': the rangers risking their lives for Virunga's gorillas'We know we may be killed': the rangers risking their lives for Virunga's gorillas
The photograph of the gorillas quickly clocked up thousands of likes and comments on social media after Shamavu posted the picture. Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park, is home to a rare population of about 1,000 mountain gorillas, but its location in eastern DRC means they and the rangers who protect and care for them are constantly at risk. Poaching, illegal charcoal smuggling and the threat of Mai-Mai militias are some of the threats to their survival.
According to rangers at the sanctuary, Ndakazi and Ndeze were the first orphaned gorillas to be cared for at the Senkwekwe Mountain Gorilla Orphanage Center, which is the only place in the world dedicated to the care of orphaned mountain gorillas. Nkakazi and Ndeze were orphaned 12 years ago when their families were killed by poachers. According to rangers at the sanctuary, Ndakazi and Ndeze were the first to be cared for at the Senkwekwe Mountain Gorilla Orphanage Centre, the only one of its kind in the world. Nkakazi and Ndeze were orphaned 12 years ago when their families were killed by poachers.
Because the gorillas have such close contact with rangers and caretakers from a young age, they learn to imitate humans.Because the gorillas have such close contact with rangers and caretakers from a young age, they learn to imitate humans.
“In terms of behaviour, they like to mimic everything that is happening, everything we do,” Shamavu said.“In terms of behaviour, they like to mimic everything that is happening, everything we do,” Shamavu said.
He said the caretakers at the orphanage try to give the animals as much access as possible to their natural environment, but they inevitably exhibit “almost the same behaviour as humans.” He said the caretakers at the orphanage try to give the animals as much access as possible to their natural environment, but they inevitably exhibit “almost the same behaviour as humans”.
The orphans need constant care, so the rangers live nearby and spend their days feeding them, playing with them, keeping them company. They need constant care, so the rangers live nearby and spend their days feeding them, playing with them and keeping them company.
“Gorilla caretakers with those gorilla orphans, we are the same family,” said head caretaker Andre Bauma. “They know we are their mum. They are a member of the family. We are their friends.” “Gorilla caretakers with those gorilla orphans, we are the same family,” said Andre Bauma, the head caretaker. “They know we are their mum. They are a member of the family. We are their friends.”
Virunga is billed as Africa’s most biodiverse national park, spanning tropical forests, snow-peaked mountains and active volcanoes and is also one of the last homes of wild mountain gorillas. The last remaining populations of the animals in the wild are found in the mountains of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Virunga is Africa’s most biodiverse national park, spanning tropical forests, snow-peaked mountains and active volcanoes. It is also one of the last homes of wild mountain gorillas, with other wild populations elsewhere in the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.
Virunga’s management has had to take extraordinary measures to keep its visitors safe from the on-and-off fighting in the region – protecting them with a highly trained guard of elite rangers and sniffer dogs, and working closely with communities surrounding the park. Virunga’s management has had to take extraordinary measures to keep its visitors safe from the sporadic fighting in the region – protecting them with a highly trained guard of elite rangers and sniffer dogs, as well as working closely with communities surrounding the park.
After a park ranger was killed by gunmen and three foreign tourists were briefly held captive, the park closed until it could secure the safety of visitors. It reopened in mid-February this year. Last May a park ranger was killed by gunmen, and two British tourists and a Congolese driver were briefly held captive. The park closed until it could secure the safety of visitors, and reopened in mid-February.
Virunga’s management hopes the viral gorilla selfie will help boost the park’s profile, and encourage more people to give money to the park, which relies on private visitor donations. The park, which relies on private visitor donations, used its “gorilla selfie” moment in the spotlight to help raise funds, reaching its $50,000 (£39,000) target to mark Earth Day.
Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Endangered species
Wildlife
Conservation
AfricaAfrica
AnimalsAnimals
Endangered species Animal welfare
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