Intimidating Silverback Gorilla Stops Traffic To Make Sure His Family Crosses The Road Safely
This rare encounter occurred one day in the Democratic Republic of Congo. BBC reporter Gordon Buchanan and his team witnessed this amazing moment.
Buchanan is a renowned Scottish filmmaker who travels the world to create nature documentaries. He and his team were in Kahuzi-Biega National Park when they happened upon a male silverback gorilla.
The gorilla was hiding behind thick bushes, waiting for a safe time to cross the busy dirt road ahead of him. If the adult male had been alone, he would have crossed the road easily without as much concern.
This time, however, the gorilla was waiting for a less busy moment to cross the road because his entire family was with him, including the young gorillas. He had to be very careful leading them to the road, as one mistake could result in a catastrophic accident for his family.
Buchanan and his team warned the oncoming truck that a troop of gorillas was about to cross. When the adult silverback noticed that the road was quieter, he moved to the middle of the road.
He remained there, standing confidently until the last member of his family had safely crossed the road. Satisfied that all of them had made it to the other side, the dominant male gorilla walked around as if to double-check.
Seeing that no one was left behind, the proud gorilla followed his family's tracks. The protectiveness displayed by the gorilla is a sight that Buchanan and his team will not easily forget.
Look at how massive the silverback gorilla is
Experts estimate that there are fewer than 900 gorillas living in the wild. They can only be found in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The gorilla population has suffered significantly in the past decades due to illegal poaching, human encroachment, and civil conflict. Since then, volunteers, governments, and non-profit organizations have been working tirelessly to promote their conservation.
Although the fight to prevent the extinction of mountain gorillas is a continuing uphill battle, hope is not lost. Recent reports have shown that the gorilla population has been steadily growing over the past few years.
Here's the adult silverback gorilla in charge of protecting his family.
He is looking around the area to check for any other potential threats. He is aware of every sound and movement in his vicinity.
When a silverback gorilla feels threatened, he will stand on his hind legs, beat his chest, growl aggressively, and charge at the threat. Normally, gorillas are gentle and are even considered shy.
The adult male gorilla seems to be staring down the oncoming truck.
His absolute confidence in his ability to protect his troop is evident in the way he remains still as his whole family crosses the road. He did not move an inch until everyone was safely across the road.
Humans may have breached his mountain and his home, but he knows this is still his territory. Not even a truck would dare cross this gorilla's path.
You can watch the full footage captured by the BBC crew here:
It's amazing to see that silverback gorillas, just like humans, value familial relationships. It's crucial for their survival that they look out for each other.
It's promising to know that despite human interference, silverback gorillas are still able to thrive. The dedicated efforts of organizations and governments in preserving the gorilla population are admirable.
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