Seeing a silverback gorilla in the middle of the road is enough to make any driver hightail it in the opposite direction, because movies have made us believe gorillas hate humans and go on destructive rampages.
But BBC cameraman Gordon Buchanan learned firsthand that gorillas are actually caring and gentle creatures who keep to themselves and don't generally attack humans unless provoked.
In fact, one massive silverback named Chimanuka had proven he had a huge heart when he adopted a young orphan gorilla and tended to it like his own:
The baby, whose name was Marhale, was in dire need of a caregiver—so Chimanuka stepped in. He groomed the little ape and let him follow closely so that he could learn how to find food for himself.
Though other male gorillas have been known to care for young, this was the only recorded example of Chimanuka’s particular subspecies, Bauer’s gorilla, acting this way.
When Gordon spotted Chimanuka in the bushes by the side of a road in the Democratic Republic of Congo he knew Chimanuka had a good reason for showing himself, so the BBC Earth crew stopped traffic to help him out.
And as the massive male silverback lumbered into the road the reason became clear- he was helping his big gorilla family safely cross the road:
Chimanuka had been nervous and tense because he needed to bring his entire family across the road. That included his adopted baby, Marhale; a one-handed ape named Mugaruka; and a few more mama gorillas and their babies.
When the final ape crossed the road, Gordon summed up the scene quite nicely. “The boss,” he said of Chimanuka, “showing us that despite the road running through, this is still his jungle.” Even with human life so close, animal life continued.
Chimanuka is truly a god among gorillas, and somebody needs to get him a reflective vest and crossing guard pole stat!
Read Cameramen Catch Silverback Bringing Traffic To A Halt For The Most Remarkable Reason here