Friends come for a reason or a season, and while some stay and others go, there’s still a sense of beauty and sentiment to each one! Some are silver, others are gold, some are big while others are really, really, REALLY, tiny! Friendships blossom for many reasons and we might never know how or why this one happened, but it’s so sweet and kind, and has definitely thrown everybody for a loop!
Bobo, the 200 kg Western lowland gorilla, lives in Cameroon’s Mefou Primate Sanctuary, a part of Ape Action Africa. This sanctuary is a haven for abandoned primates, big and small, to live safely and happily, with their own kind and away from poachers. Bobo was brought here in 1994, as a two-year-old, after his mom was shot.
One morning, when Bobo was out exploring the sanctuary’s lush forest, he came across a new little animal, another primate, who immediately caught his attention. Weighing only 200 grams, this bushbaby looks itty bitty in Bobo’s giant hand. Also known as a Galago, he is the smallest primate in the sanctuary, and also the bravest! Upon meeting his big, furry, gorilla friend, the teeny tiny bushbaby showed no fear while Bobo demonstrated just how kind and gentle he could be. Bobo scooped his acquaintance up and spent the better part of the afternoon getting to know him.
Caretakers obviously were taken aback! How could this massive animal show such compassion and care for this little creature
(and let’s get real here – not eat him for breakfast?!)? Ape Action Africa makes a comment about this on their Facebook page saying, “Caregivers discovered him cradling the tiny primate during their morning checks, and were amazed to see him handling it with the utmost care.” It’s pretty remarkable, to say the least!
Even Bobo’s group-mates showed curiosity. His favorite female friend, Avishag, tried to inch closer to see what all the excitement was about. Bobo, however, was insistent that his new friend has space, turning his body to draw a line between the bushbaby and intrigued gorillas.
Ape Action adds, “…bushbabies are usually nocturnal so it is very rare to see one, and even rarer to witness this kind of interaction. The little bushbaby was happy to play in Bobo’s arms, hopping off to explore the grass nearby, before returning to Bobo’s hand.”
They played for two hours before Bobo said farewell and gingerly placed the tiny primate into a nearby tree.
Click below to see more of this meaningful, albeit unusual, friendship take place!
