Mountain Gorilla Ndakasi Dies At Age 14

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Behavior, Nature, Wildlife, Biodiversity, Society

Ed Hessler 

Ndakasi, a mountain gorilla, housed all her life at a gorilla orphanage at Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo has died at age 14. By the way, Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Park.

She was rescued by Ranger Andre Bauma, manager pf the orphanage when she was two months old. The decision not to release her into the wild was based the absence of relatives. Without their care , guidance and instruction she would have been unsafe, including from poachers.

You may remember a picture of Ndakasi imitating the rangers, standing tall and fully erect just like them. It may be seen again in the BBC link below. She was well named: someone happy to welcome others.

Mr. Bauma "said that getting to know Ndakasi had 'helped me to understand the connection between humans and great apes and why we should do everything in our power to protect them. I loved her like a child. Her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her.'"

 

Ndakasi's life may be seen in pictures in this BBC report. Here are a few more--some are the same--from Metro, UK. One is of her shortly after her rescue.