Bruno offered to help, while his brother-in-law grabbed his already running camera and captured the remarkable rescue. The footage would later spread around the world and continues to captivate audiences to this day.
Had the cameras not been there, it might have been hard to believe the story if someone had retold it, but midst the panic, the gorilla calmly approached the unconscious child.
Despite the danger, Binti Jua’s maternal instincts immediately kicked in. In the video, you can see her scanning the area, glancing left, right, and up, as if searching for someone to help. It’s incredible how she instinctively knew what to do.
Cradling the child gently in her arms, she shielded him from harm, her baby Koola still perched on her back.
Used a hose to drive away the other gorillas
Zoo employees used a hose to drive away the other gorillas, while Binti Jua gently laid the boy near the exhibit entrance before quickly retreating, allowing zookeepers and paramedics to safely retrieve him.
”We assessed (the boy) and we packaged him up. I think we used duct tape because that’s all that was there,” Bruno said.
Some believe this was a deliberate choice by the gorilla, as if she understood the importance of getting the boy to safety. The boy, though injured, survived the ordeal with a broken hand and a few bruises.
The story of Binti Jua’s heroic actions spread like wildfire, quickly becoming a symbol of empathy and compassion. People from all over the world marveled at the bond between a gorilla and a human child. The zoo emerged from the incident with little backlash.
For months, the media couldn’t stop talking about the gorilla who became an accidental hero, and visitors flocked to the zoo to witness her gentle and protective nature in person.
She was showered with special treats and attention from zoo staff, as people flocked to the zoo to get a glimpse of the compassionate gorilla who saved a child