For the past fifteen years The Aspinall Foundation has been reintroducing captive gorillas back into the wild. The gorillas are brought to the foundation’s million acre reserves in West Africa from England’s Howletts Wild Animal Park. There they are set free back into the wild jungles so they have a chance to live out their lives as nature intended. In the following video conservationist Damien Aspinall, and his daughter Tansy, set out on a trip to Gabon to find two old friends, gorillas Djalta and Bimms.
The Aspinall family had grown up with the young gorillas, and helped raise them back in England, up until they were released back into the wild in 2003. It has been 12 years since Tansy has seen them, and 3 or 4 since Damian last visited, and they’ve traveled half way around the world to find them.
They traveled the easiest way possible, down a river that cut through the jungle for a few hours, calling out for Djalta and Bimms along the way. Suddenly two figures appeared at the edge of the river, looking full grown and healthy as ever, the gorillas had heard Damian’s calls.
At first he was a little apprehensive to approach them, but once they let out deep, rumbling, gurgle sounds, he knew he had nothing to worry about. The “sweet noises” signified the love the gorillas still had for their old friend, even though they were home free in the wild, they hadn’t forgotten the man who helped get them there.
The gorillas and man sat close together, looking into each others eyes, silently sharing a moment and appreciating all that they’d experienced together. One pulled Damian in for a hug and soon after he noticed Djalta looking closely at Tansy.
Feeling that it was safe, Tansy went forward to greet her old friends, who still remembered her after 12 long years apart. The two full grown adult gorillas were incredibly gentle, sweet, and loving towards her. They just wanted to play, be tickled and held, and they didn’t want them to leave.
The next morning when Tansy and David woke up the gorillas were at the edge of the other side of the river, waiting and wanting to visit with them again. The love between the two wild animals and the father and daughter is beyond words or belief. They all truly shared an unbreakable bond, and will hold each other in their hearts forever.
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