When he was just 2 years old, Bobo was left an orphan when his mother was killed by poachers.
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Fortunately, he was rescued and brought to Ape Action Africa’s Mefou Primate Sanctuary in Cameroon, central Africa. He’s resided there since 1994 with roughly 300 other great apes and chimpanzees. Bobo’s a silverback gorilla and clearly the leader of his pack, so all newcomers have to go through him first.
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Sure, he looks intimidating, but so do German shepherds and look how this one turns to mush around “her” baby rabbit. And remember Koko and her kitten? Bobo has a similar reputation as a “gentle giant,” and it was confirmed pretty unequivocally last week, when his caretakers found him cuddling with… a bush baby!
What’s that, you ask?
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They’re itty-bitty African monkeys and they spend most of their lives hiding out in trees, which is a pretty good call considering they’re snack size for just about everything else that lives in Africa.
Of course, the size differential between the bush baby and Bobo is what makes this friendship so stinkin’ cute.
Don’t worry, little buddy. I’m an herbivore.
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The caregivers were stunned to see this budding friendship, and “amazed to see him handling it with the utmost care – proving that gorillas really are the gentle giants of the forest,” Mefou Primate Sanctuary wrote in a Facebook caption for the video below.
Indeed, his protective instincts were in full force that morning. The other gorillas were extremely curious to meet his new friend but abided by Bobo’s “look but don’t touch” policy.
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Bush babies are usually nocturnal so it is very rare to see one, and even rarer to witness this kind of interaction. The little bush baby was happy to play in Bobo’s arms, hopping off to explore the grass nearby, before returning to Bobo’s hand.
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But after a couple hours, this little playdate had to come to a close. The tiny baby had pulled an all-nighter just to hang out with his new friend, so he was ready to go back to his tree and crash for a few hours. But Bobo wanted to make sure he made it safely, so he hand-delivered him back home!
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The animal world is filled with all kinds of unlikely friendships, but this is one of the cutest we’ve ever seen. Watch how gentle Bobo is with his new friend, and remember to share to spread the love!
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