It’s wonderful when people can show empathy for others — particularly something so vulnerable as a child. This empathy is also expressed in the animal kingdom, especially in primates such as gorillas. In this touching video, a mother gorilla bonds with a human baby. And even more surprisingly, she then shows her own child to the newborn.
In viral video, a gorilla named Kiki connects with a human baby
The bond between a mother and a child is a beautiful thing. And in a viral video, which you can view below, this connection amazingly crosses species, as a gorilla named Kiki connects with a human baby boy. The need to connect isn’t just for people. Animals need it, too.
The video, which is on the Newsnercom YouTube channel, starts with the gorilla leaning against the glass in its zoo enclosure, intently looking at the sleeping baby held by his human mother. A child in the background says, “You see this? That is the coolest thing ever!”
Kiki then rolls to her side and leans in to get even closer. She extends her hand to the newborn, reaching out one of her fingers. The human mother then guides the baby’s finger to return the gesture, as the two species’ fingers are nearly right up to each other against the glass.
Kiki points at the baby: ‘Look at this little guy!’
The mother gorilla continued to look inquisitively at the baby, seeming awestruck by the tiny child. Kiki then quickly glanced at another gorilla in the enclosure and then pointed at the baby — as if to say, “Hey, look at this little guy over here!”
The unique interaction seemed to draw a crowd — as more people commented in the background. One person said, “That is so sweet!.”
Kiki continued to stare and point at the baby, seemingly unable to take her eyes away from the newborn. She then looked at the human mother holding the baby, perhaps sharing the “strong maternal bond” between them.
Mother gorilla shows ‘Pablo,’ her own baby
The shared maternal bond is because Kiki has her own baby, called “Pablo.” After looking at the human mother, Kiki moves away from the glass, revealing little Pablo hiding behind her. The human mother said, “Look at your baby!”
However, Pablo didn’t yet notice the human baby, for he was busy playing by a rock wall.
Kiki connected with the human child some more. She moved closer to the glass, held out her hand again, and appeared to want to hold the hand of the human baby.
Eventually, the baby gorilla got curious. Pablo moved up to the glass to view the human baby. Kiki picked him up, and he adorably clung to his mother’s arm. It turned into a heartwarming cross-species family gathering between gorillas and humans.
It can be easy to anthropomorphize — placing human traits on animals. However, in the case of Kiki and other gorillas and primates, human traits such as empathy, compassion, affection, and love are real. Kiki showed that gorillas can be affectionate — not only for their own kind — but also for a baby from another species.
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Header image: Newsnercom via YouTube
I’m Mark Putzer, and my passion for animals and all things nature is a life-long love affair. Growing up in Wisconsin, I had many cherished memories of hiking, skiing, and enjoying the abundant wildlife in the Badger State.
My passion for animals led me to marine biology research for my studies at the University of Wisconsin. I researched the behavior and communication of humpback whales around Hawaii and Orca Whales around the San Juan Islands of Washington State. The experience of being close to these massive and magnificent creatures is amazing. Later, I taught outdoor education to children in California — passing along my knowledge of animals and nature to the curious minds of the next generation. I also love pets. This includes a Labrador Retriever dog named “Molly” when I was a kid — and now, an adventurous tabby cat named “Rosy.”
I’m here to share the wonders of the animal kingdom with you. Whether it’s a cherished pet at home or an animal out in the wild, there are many unique stories and interesting information to share on Weird Animal News! Enjoy!
