A gorilla died in the arms of the her rescuer
Ndakasi, a world-famous gorilla who starred in a hilarious selfie in 2019, died in the arms of Andre Bauma, an animal rescuer.
In the picture that was taken 2 years ago, Ndakasi was seen puffing her chest out in a picture along with Ndeze.
According to official reports, Bauma rescued Ndakasi after her mother was killed by an armed militia in the Virunga National Park, Congo.
The Virunga National Park in Congo is the oldest park in Africa.
For over a decade, Andre and his colleagues cared for Ndakasi and heled her recover from the trauma of losing her mother.
Because of her horrifying past, she was not released back into the wild.
Ndakasi enjoyed her life with Ndeze and other gorillas, who were also orphans, at the park’s Senkwekwe Center.
The Virunga National Park released a statement about the incident, saying:
It is with heartfelt sadness that Virunga announces the death of beloved orphaned mountain gorilla, Ndakasi. On the evening of 26 September, following a prolonged illness in which her condition rapidly deteriorated, Ndakasi took her final breath in the loving arms of her caretaker and lifelong friend, Andre Bauma.
The heads of the national park also remembered the selfie that made Ndakasi go viral on social media.
Talking about the picture, the park said:
The photo features Ndakasi and her partner-in-crime, Ndeze, both standing relaxed on two feet, bellies out with cheeky grins. Their playful nature was a reminder to the world of how much we see ourselves in these animals and it’s one of the reasons Andre Bauma will miss her so dearly.
Andre also released a statement about the death of the gorilla’s death.
He said:
It was a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature, especially knowing the trauma Ndakasi suffered at a very young age. One could say that she took after her mother, Nyiransekuye, whose name means “someone happy to welcome others. I am proud to have called Ndakasi my friend. I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her.
May you rest in peace, Ndakasi. You will be missed.
