A proud gorilla mom is making headlines around the world after stunning zoo visitors by showing off her newborn baby and kissing it on the forehead.
The touching mother-baby moment took place at Calgary Zoo in Calgary, Canada, where a female gorilla was caught on camera displaying her affection for her newborn baby.
In footage shared by ViralHog, the primate is seen holding her little tot by his arms and lifting it in front of zoo visitors.
The gorilla mom then proceeds by planting several kisses on her baby’s forehead and cradling him in her arms much to the people’s astonishment.
The sweet interaction quickly went viral on social media and racked up thousands of likes and comments.
“Momma loves her little baby! How sweet and heart warming to see,” one person wrote.
“Omg I love this sooo much! Thank you for brightening my day,” another said.
The third suggested: “Reminds me of nurses in hospital with newborns…”
Not everyone, however, was equally impressed with the interaction with some people saying these animals should live free.
“It is surprising that these women are shocked that a mother of any species apart from the human cares for and lives their babies. Of course they do,” one viewer pointed out.
Another said: “Sad… these animals should be free!!!”
The video comes just months after another one of six adult gorillas at the Calgary Zoo gave birth.
As the zoo pointed out at the time, every addition to their gorilla population is a blessing due to their status as a critically endangered species.
Throughout the decades, the number of gorillas living in the wild fell drastically due to human activities including deforestation, habitat destruction, and poaching.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends. For more news and stories, follow us on Facebook!