Man Comforts Gorilla Who Just Lost His Mom

[milestogo]

Losing a parent can be one of the most tragic experiences of a person's life. As photographer Phil Moore shows, this feeling of deep sadness is not exclusive to humans.



For this mountain gorilla who's mother was killed poachers, the pain is all too real. In an emotional display of mourning, the dismayed gorilla holds onto park ranger Patrick Karabaranga for support.

Captured in July 2012 at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, this photograph documents the gorilla's capacity to express loss and Karabaranga's compassion for an individual of another species: a much needed skill in a world where human activity increasingly encroaches upon the lives of wild gorillas.

https://www.thedodo.com/gorilla-seeks-comfort-1355648291.html

Its an amazing photo.., captures so much.

[CTyankee]

1. Oh, that poor gorilla! This pic made me tear up.

I love the interaction between human and gorilla here. It's beautiful...

[wordpix]

27. me, too---humans need to control their population, period

I despise poachers but mostly they are poor people wanting to make a living, kill/snare animals for food, etc. Help the poor and we help gorillas. But many of us are tapped out while the 1% spends lavishly on $30 million NYC apartments and 5 homes.

[theaocp]

2. Thank you

It's why I run an animal rescue. When they experience loss, I can offer solace.

[Snobblevitch]

3. I could have that support when I lost my mom seven years ago.

[arikara]

37. ...

[bigwillq]

4. Love that photo

[MissDeeds]

5. Heartbreaking and uplifting

all at the same time. Thanks for sharing.

[DashOneBravo]

30. +1

[madokie]

6. Thanks, I had to send this on

What a wonderful and beautiful world this could be if man would only allow it to be

[leftyladyfrommo]

16. It would be better if men were not in it at all.

And it may very well come to that.

We have to be the most self destructive life form that ever existed.

[Scootaloo]

25. All life forms are self-destructive

The drive of life is to make more life, and as a matter of course, an organism must exploit its environment to that end. Left alone, self-extinction is guaranteed. However, foir most organisms there is competition, predation, disease, regular famine, etc, all sorts of environmental factors limiting eternal growth.

Humans have largely freed ourselves from these limits. we're acting like rabbits on a planet made of spinach with no foxes in sight.

[GliderGuider]

7. Can you feel compassion for the poachers as well as the gorilla?

?????

[Ino]

9. no

[yardwork]

10. No.

[spooky3]

12. Why should people feel 'compassion' for wrongdoers?

I really don't get your point.

[JackInGreen]

13. Yes

After I've removed their feet and hands while they bleed out on the jungle floor, oh yes. Plenty of sympathy for the environment too, the ants might get indigestion.
there's your sympathy for a murderer.

[narnian60]

29. +100

[Enthusiast]

15. No fucking way.

[Octafish]

18. That is a good question.

Poachers must be desperate for money to kill their nation's natural treasures. Perhaps if they had jobs that paid enough to care for their families they wouldn't.

Congo has been ripped by bigger poachers, including King Leopold of Belgium and Allen Dulles of War Inc.

[rhett o rick]

21. Yes it is a good question. Most don't want to have the discussion tho. It's easier to

treat the symptoms than the disease. Having said that, I think poachers should be prosecuted to full extent of the law.

[Eleanors38]

32. The gorilla died because on-going military conflict requires $ from animal parts, and

Desperate people in the region need bush meat. There is little if any viable authority to prevent poaching. Very sad. Even in countries without military conflict, other big animals and expanding human populations come into conflict. Some humans are killed and crops destroyed, but the animals are the biggest losers.

[alphafemale]

33. No I have no sympathy for cruelty.

Plenty of people are in desperate places.

Only the callous see cruelty and theft of others goods or even their life itself as an option.

There are people that would slit your life for the five dollars in your pocket.

That is the mindset of the poacher.

No. I have no sympathy for the poacher.

[7962]

42. Exactly. Its an excuse.

[MisterP]

20. the ultimate stage of reconciliation is with one's own persecutors:

the Tutsi with the Interahamwe butchers, Bosniaks and Serbs, Jews and Germans; Central American activists say that just as important as unearthing cemeteries are getting that phone call from the past generalissimo begging for a human-rights investigation because his own men are now bombing his carport

plus there's always issues of poverty and land disputes

but also, no

[awoke_in_2003]

23. A big fucking no. nt

[wordpix]

28. no, except they tend to be poor and desperate

for THAT I feel compassion but for their illegal poaching, no

[Ed Suspicious]

41. I hope to feel compassion for everybody. I'm not always

successful, but I think we should strive to be empathetic and humane in all instances.

[alphafemale]

44. I have unending admiration for rangers the protectors. Fuq poachers.

I love how the man is reaching under and rubbing the belly

That is THE LAST Male White Rhino. btw

Article

http://higherperspectives.com/last-white-rhino/

[Omaha Steve]

8. Thanks for posting

K&R!

OS

[mountain grammy]

11. K & R for park rangers everywhere..

who witness man's stupidity, greed and cruelty more than most.

Thank you for this post. It is an amazing photo.

[Historic NY]

14. "We are closer than we think"...

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Yep

Anyone who doesn't think animals, especially the primates, can have feelings isn't paying attention.

[FourScore]

17. A beautiful photo. n/t

[mcar]

19. Just wow

What an amazing photo!

[rhett o rick]

22. Great photo. Thanks of posting. nm

[smirkymonkey]

26. Amazing, heartbreaking photo.

[beac]

31. Thank you for this. n/t

[Eleanors38]

34. Good picture.

[frylock]

35. fighting back tears..

what an incredibly moving photo. I have nothing but contempt for the people that murder such beautiful creatures, and sincerely hope the worst for them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

36. ..

[brer cat]

38. What a special moment caught on film.

Patrick Karabaranga's compassion is almost breathtaking. He is offering to help carry a terrible burden for the gorilla, and his heart seems broken also.

K&R

[Mosby]

39. Another orphan

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140627-congo-virunga-wildlife-rangers-elephants-rhinos-poaching/

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. We are far from the only species that grieves

I know that when Cookie dies, as much as Connie likes to pretend she hates her brother, or at least dislikes him heavily... we will have to do that as well. (And us, we will be crying too)

[Uncle Joe]

43. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, milestogo.

[Left Coast2020]

45. Wow. Very powerful

Would be a powerful National Geographic pic as well.