In the animal world, fathers aren’t always as involved in raising their young as human dads. In the case of gorillas, babies don’t get very close to their massive papas for the first few months because their protective mothers are afraid they’ll get hurt. Later, gorilla dads play an important role in socialization and weaning, but as infants, they keep a distance.
In a resurfaced video taken in 2019 at the Safaripark Beekse Bergen, a large wildlife zoo in the south of the Netherlands, we get a close up view of this family dynamic. Photographer Lieke enjoys visiting European zoos and sharing her work on YouTube, and this video certainly doesn’t disappoint! Lieke’s camera captured the first time 6-month-old baby gorilla Mies came face-to-face with her massive daddy. Just as Mies tries to get a closer look, her mother sweeps her up with a practiced flick of her leg.
Looks like father-daughter bonding will have to wait! Watch the sweet moment below, and be sure to share.
You can find the source of this article’s featured image here.
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