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Earning the trust of a 40-stone silverback gorilla

January 6, 2024, 4:04 pm
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By Lucy WallisBBC News

When a wildlife cameraman was invited to film the gradual exposure of a gorilla family to humans, deep in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he got a little too close for comfort to the group’s alpha male.

Suddenly, the giant silverback – known as Mpungwe – charged at him with a shriek.

But, despite being terrified, Vianet Djenguet knew the almost 40-stone (254kg) primate didn’t want to hurt him. It was a test.

Anyone attempting to earn Mpungwe’s trust and become a friend needed to show respect.

“That charge is a way of saying, ‘Look I’ve got a family here, so back off’,” says Djenguet. “But if you stand your ground, it stops him moving forward.”

The gorilla reached out and grabbed Djenguet’s foot.

“I could feel the power of his hand,” says the cameraman. “I was quick enough to pull my foot back and then I completely froze.”

After he had charged, Mpungwe slid backwards down the hilly terrain and disappeared into the dense foliage.

Image source, BBC/Off The Fence/Miles Blayden-Ryall

Djenguet had been invited to meet Mpungwe by conservationists in DR Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park. They wanted him to document their attempts to get the silverback and his family used to the presence of humans.

The process – called habituation – can take between two and 10 years and

The post Earning the trust of a 40-stone silverback gorilla appeared first on EnviroLink Network.

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