Mountain Gorilla From Viral Selfie Dies In Arms Of Ranger Who Saved Her As An Infant

Ndakasi: A tragic image of a mountain gorilla dying in the arms of a ranger has left the internet heartbroken. The ranger had rescued that gorilla 14 years ago when she was an infant.

Media reports have confirmed that the gorilla was named Ndakasi. She was seen in a viral selfie in 2019 along with another female gorilla Ndeze. Ndakasi was named after a ranger named Benjamin Ndakasi Lola who used to work at Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. That is where the mountain gorilla was under care for more than a decade.

A ranger named Andre Bauma rescued Ndakasi 14 years ago when she was only two months old. On September 26 she breathed her last in Bauma's arms. The park announced that she died following a prolonged illness when her condition deteriorated. When Ndakasi was an infant, her mother was reportedly killed by an armed militia.

The baby gorilla received care at the park surrounded by other orphaned mountain gorillas. She also became a social media star after her selfie with another gorilla went viral in 2019. The park's website read, "Ndakasi’s life was well documented and her heartwarming personality was featured in several shows and films, including the documentary Virunga, where she can be seen consumed in laughter while being tickled by a caretaker."

The ranger, Bauma gave out a statement after the tragic death of the Ndakasi. He talked about Ndakasi's sweet nature and intelligence that helped him understander the connection between humans and Great Apes.

“I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her,” Bauma added. He said that Ndakasi will be missed at the park.

Virunga National Park is the only establishment in the world that cares for mountain gorillas in captivity. They have one-third of the world's endangered mountain gorillas. Apart from Ndakasi, the national park is also famous for Ndeze, Musuka and Matabishi.

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