In 2007, deep within Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo — home to some of the last mountain gorillas on Earth — park rangers made a heartbreaking discovery.
They found a tiny baby gorilla, barely two months old, clinging tightly to her mother’s lifeless body. Her mother had been killed by poachers. The baby refused to let go. Her cries echoed through the forest — cries of fear, confusion, and loss.
That baby was Ndakasi.
The rangers gently took her into their care and brought her to the park’s Senkwenkwe Center, the only facility in the world for orphaned mountain gorillas. There, a ranger named Andre Bauma became her caretaker.
That first night, Andre held her close against his chest to keep her warm — the same way a gorilla mother would. “She was so fragile,” Andre later said. “I could not sleep — her life was in my hands.”
From that moment on, they became inseparable.
A Life Filled With Care and Connection
Ndakasi grew up surrounded by humans — rangers who had dedicated their lives to protecting Virunga’s gorillas. She never returned to the wild, because she had been raised by people and wouldn’t survive on her own. But in the sanctuary, she thrived.
She was playful, curious, and affectionate — often climbing on her caretakers’ backs or resting her head in their laps. Andre and the other rangers became her family.
In time, Ndakasi also became a global symbol of hope.
In 2019, a photo of her went viral: she was standing upright beside a ranger, posing for a selfie, with a cheeky, human-like smile. Millions around the world fell in love with her. The image reminded people that gorillas aren’t so different from us — they feel love, loss, and joy too.
A Peaceful Goodbye
After more than a decade of life at the sanctuary, Ndakasi began to grow weak. She suffered from a long illness that slowly took her strength.
On September 26, 2021, Ndakasi passed away peacefully — cradled in the arms of Andre Bauma, the man who had saved her all those years ago.
In the photo released by Virunga National Park, Andre is seen holding her gently as she rests her head against his chest — just as she did on the night she was rescued.
“She died in the arms of her beloved caretaker and friend,” the park wrote. “Her gentle personality brought joy to all who met her.”
Her Legacy
Ndakasi’s story is more than just the tale of a gorilla — it’s a story of compassion, resilience, and the bond between humans and nature.
Through her life, she showed the world that every creature matters — that love and empathy can cross any boundary, even the line between species.
Her spirit continues to live on in the hearts of those who fight to protect Virunga’s gorillas and in everyone who remembers her smiling face.
Ndakasi (2007–2021)
🖤 “She came into this world holding onto loss — and left it wrapped in love.” 🌿
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