Meet Bobo: a huge 400-pound gorilla with the gentlest soul!
Bobo lives in Ape Action Africa’s Mefou Primate Sanctuary in Cameroon. The gorillas in Cameroon are often targeted by poachers, and they’re also losing their habitat due to deforestation. Ape Action Africa give gorillas and other primates like Bobo a safe place to call home. The sanctuary currently cares for about 300 primates.
Bobo came to the sanctuary in 1994 when he was two years old, after his mother was killed by poachers. He typically spends his days hanging out with the other gorillas at the sanctuary, including his favorite female Avishag and their son Eto’o.
Since Bobo is so big, he’s the undisputed leader of his group of silverback gorillas. But Bobo has a reputation with his caretakers as a gentle giant. The powerful gorilla wouldn’t hurt a fly.
One day, Bobo noticed a tiny creature climbing in the sanctuary’s trees. It was a bush baby, Cameroon’s smallest primate.
“Our silverback gorilla Bobo made a surprising new friend this week — a wild bush baby!” Ape Action Africa wrote on Facebook. “Caregivers discovered him cradling the tiny primate during their morning checks, and were amazed to see him handling it with the utmost care.”
Bobo gently held the bush baby, and he let the little animal crawl up and down his arm. The bush baby must have thought Bobo’s arm was a tree trunk!
The gorilla and bush baby played together for about two hours. During that whole time, Bobo was always gentle, and he made sure never to play too rough with the little creature.
Many of the other gorillas at the sanctuary were curious about Bobo’s new friend, including Avishag. But Bobo worried they would hurt the bush baby, so he kept them all at a distance.
“Bush babies are usually nocturnal so it is very rare to see one, and even rarer to witness this kind of interaction,” Ape Action Africa said. “The little bush baby was happy to play in Bobo’s arms, hopping off to explore the grass nearby, before returning to Bobo’s hand.”
After two hours, Bobo was finished playing with the bush baby. He brought the little primate back to the trees where he found him, and the bush baby happily hopped onto a branch.
According to Ape Action Africa, the bush baby spends a lot of time around the sanctuary. Hopefully, he and Bobo will be able to play together again soon—we love watching the interaction between Cameroon’s largest and smallest primates!
Bobo is a true gentle giant who loves all creatures, big and small. This kindhearted gorilla loves making new friends!
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