See The Surprising Reason Why This 1,500-Pound Silverback Gorilla Walked Out to Stop Traffic

Wildlife

| January 22, 2018 | By Margo Gothelf

Humans may have spread far and wide around the world, but that doesn’t mean they are the rulers of the jungle. Just ask the silverback gorillas living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gordon Buchanan was filming with the BBC when he spotted a rare silverback gorilla in its natural habitat. Buchanan noticed the gorilla alongside the bushes, scanning the scene on a very busy road.

Buchanan instantly knew something was up when he saw a truck riding down the dirt road. The gorilla was watching from the side, with a tense look on his face. For the next 20 minutes, the trucks continued to go down the road and the gorilla made no sign of moving.

Buchanan couldn’t figure out what the silverback was waiting for and had his crew step into the road to get a better view. With the crew in the road, they were able to stop traffic and quickly got the answer they were looking for.

Once the trucks were out of sight, the 1,500-pound silverback walked into the roadway to make sure everything was clear. Once the silverback was positioned in the middle of the road, his entire family appeared from behind the bushes.

With the trucks out the way, the entire family was able to cross the busy road. The silverback had been on edge because he was worried about protecting his whole family. The silverback made sure to stand guard until the rest of his family was safe on the other side of the road.

This isn’t the first time Buchanan has encountered this family of silverback gorillas. The silverback, named Chimanuka, is thought to be about 30 years old. Chimanuka is known in the area and has a friendly reputation with the park rangers and tourists.

Chimanuka has shown compassion for other gorillas in the community as well. When a baby gorilla was left as an orphan after its mother’s death, Chimanuka raised it like one of his own children.

Silverback gorillas are not known to be super friendly, so it was surprising to see Chimanuka in that light. Thankfully for Chimanuka’s family, he is very compassionate and loving.

Check out Chimanuka’s caring actions while he stands guard over his whole family on a busy street below. Don’t forget to SHARE this touching video!