Damian Aspinall’s work with gorillas began when he and his family founded the Aspinall Foundation in 1992. The Aspinall Foundation worked to increase gorilla populations by releasing zoo-bred gorillas into their natural habitats.
Image source: Aspinal Foundation / YouTube
In a surprising turn of events, Damian and his wife Victoria recently had a wild encounter with the two taciturn gorillas they released years ago. The two gorillas, named Jalta and Ima, were raised by Damian when they were young babies at Howletts Wildlife Park in Kent. They were released as adults back in 2003.
Damian wanted to introduce his wife to gorillas. He knew how territorial the western lowland gorillas could be with humans and were shy about entering their territory. Even though Jalta and Ima were raised by Damian, there was a chance they wouldn’t accept him into their home. At one point, Ima gently picked Victoria up and hugged her tenderly while she hugged him.
Image source: Aspinal Foundation / YouTube
Jalta’s memories of human life through his experiences remain remarkable. It’s touching to see Chunk, Ima, and Jalta not only remember Damian, but embrace his wife as part of their family. The emotional intelligence of these incredible creatures is unmatched.
Image source: Aspinal Foundation / YouTube
This whole meeting is unbelievable, but so nice to watch. As humans, we must always do our best to protect these creatures and their homes in the wild!
