A 300+ pound gorilla is an incredibly imposing creature to be in close proximity to. When that gorilla beats his chest and displays the extent of its power and majesty mere feet in front of you, it’s sure to inspire a deep sense of awe… and stop your heart for a few seconds!
The incredible moment occurred during a guided conservation safari photographer Richard De Gouveia was participating in. During these safaris, the primary goal is to disturb the gorillas as little as possible. The photographer notes in his TikTok post that “In theory we try and maintain a big distance but in reality it doesn’t always work out this way… We are also limited to 1 hour with the family.”
The tour had hunkered down while a storm passed through the area, and as the storm cleared the gorillas began to emerge from the vegetation and warm themselves. The male gorillas began beating their chests to help warm up, which led to this incredible moment.
You see the gorilla inflate his air sacs, stand up, and begin to beat his chest.
As he beats his chest, he charges past another guest on the safari. The guest incredibly maintains their cool despite the massive gorilla lumbering past them. Richard notes that the guest “handled the moment perfectly” and “moved out to make sure we kept a safe distance from the gorillas.”
The footage of this interaction is absolutely incredible to watch. The moment is jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, and awe-inspiring all at once. You can watch the footage below:
Incredible moments like these are testaments to the power and majesty of these magnificent animals. Just watching the moment from the safety of your phone or computer takes your breath away. I can only imagine the mixed emotions you would feel experiencing that in person!
Conservation safaris like these, when conducted properly, can be a wonderful way to help preserve the remaining gorilla populations. Like any wildlife tour, they should always be conducted with the safety of the participants and the animals as the utmost priority.
The poise shown by those involved provides a great example for other tours and wildlife interactions.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.