Western Lowland gorillas are considered a critically endangered species, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Threats from poaching, disease, and habitat destruction have decimated populations throughout Africa, driving the gorilla’s numbers down by more than 60% over the last 20-25 years.

Bobo the gorilla

Bobo was rescued by a non-profit organization called Ape Action Africa in 1996. He’s the dominant male in his group of 3 females and 3 males. In fact, the younger males have never even challenged his control.

And gorillas can be intimidating! They will stand up, pound their chests, and make lots of noise. And if they’re threatened, they’re strong.

Luckily, they’re also peaceful – they aren’t known for being aggressive unless someone or something else starts it.

The point is, Bobo could do some serious damage if he wanted to. Alas, he went viral in 2018 for doing exactly the opposite.

Bobo’s bushbaby

Caregivers were surprised one morning to see Bobo with a small creature in hand. He had made an unlikely friend – a bushbaby.

Also called a “galago,” these tiny primates with big eyes have a baby-like cry when they communicate, hence their nicknames.

They aren’t known for playing with animals hundreds of times heavier than they are either.

Alas, one day a bushbaby found its way over to Bobo and the two spent some time checking one another out.

“On his morning checks, our gorilla caregiver discovered Bobo cradling a young, wild bush baby,” Ape Action Africa spokeswoman Elissa O’Sullivan told Bored Panda. “The bush baby showed no fear of Bobo, moving around his body and spending time hopping around in an open grassy area, before choosing to return to Bobo.”

Not only were handlers surprised to see the two playing together, they were surprised to see a bushbaby out at play during the daytime.

“Bush babies are usually nocturnal, so it is very rare to see one during the day. We have never witnessed a wild primate interacting with a rescued one at Mefou Sanctuary,” they said of Bobo’s playdate.

Bobo’s groupmates were just as curious. And they wanted in.

“Bobo’s group-mates were curious about the bush baby and hoped that he might share it with them, but Bobo kept the bush baby to himself.”

But when you’re the dominant gorilla, you don’t have to share.

The staff tending to the gorillas said that the new buddies spent over 2 hours together. Then finally, Bobo returned the tiny creature to a tree inside his enclosure and it scampered away.

Ape Action Africa cares for over 280 orphaned primates on its property in Cameroon. That makes it one of the largest primate conservation organizations in Africa.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility is closed to the public at this point. But if you’re interested in donating to their cause, you can click here. And be sure to visit their Facebook page here.

You can also scroll down below to catch more footage of the sweet encounter between Bobo and his tiny – and unlikely – friend.

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Source: Ape Action Africa website, Bored Panda, World Wildlife Fund