Damian Aspinall’s reunion with Kwibi
The gap between humans and animals is wide.
Naturally, it isn’t… but as humans, we have gradually created that gap by considering ourselves more superior than animals. We see ourselves as being more superior than dogs, which is why we are the “owners”… we see ourselves as being more superior than elephants, rejoicing when we can teach them tricks like in a circus… and even with chimpanzees, we see ourselves as being more superior than them, poaching them at our own will.
We destroy their habitats, then take pride when we make efforts to conserve their existence. Conservation efforts are good, I’m not saying it’s bad – but if from the very beginning we respected them as beings… not lower nor higher than us, we would never need to face conservation problems.
The main reason why we consider ourselves more superior than them is because we doubt their capability to feel, to think, to understand and to remember. We doubt their intelligence. We believe that they are incapable… or less capable… of feeling hurt, pain, sadness, nostalgia, happiness, grief, enthusiasm etc etc.
The video below is about an emotional reunion between a conservationist named Damian Aspinall and a gorilla named Kwibi.
Kwibi was brought up in Damian’s conservation park (Howletts Wild Animal Park) in England.
When he turned 5 , he was released into the forest of Gabon, West Africa. The program that he was in re-introduces gorillas back into the wild, in an effort to help their species, already endangered, survive.
5 years later, it was thought that Kwibi was dead. Damian went back to Gabon to search for him… Does he find him? Will Kwibi recognize him? Will Kwibi be angry or confused when he sees Damian?
Watch to find out.
Tsem Rinpoche
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https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Gorilla-Reunion-Damian-Aspinall-Extraordinary-Gorilla.mp4
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I hope Damian can visit Kwibi again. I felt so sad for Kwibi when he didn’t want Damian to leave.
Wow so touching to see such a wonderful moment of the gorilla name Kwibi reunion with his former care take who is a conservationist..Even though Kwibi was 5 years old and was sent back to the forest to be free yet he still can recognised his care taker …Damian. Its an emotional reunion between Damian and gorilla Kwibi , we can see it in the video.
its show us that they the gorilla is like any other animals who has feelings ,needs love ,can feel pain,sadness and happiness too. The Aspinall Foundation is doing a great job to conserved wild animals .May they continue with their great work.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this touching post.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. It is such a touching a video to watch. We must remember that animals be it big or small also have feelings and are intelligent. We must try to not harm them and their natural habitat.
With folded palms,
Vivian
This video (and many more other videos) has shown that animals have feelings and gratitudes towards people who have helped them and they can remember their kindness even it is after many years. This video reminds me of Jane Goodall who also have a strong connection to animals.
Therefore, we should never hurt animals, make them suffer, or kill them for food. We need to instil this kindness towards our next generation.
Its so touching and warm video, hardly imaging that humans may get along with animals so closely just like a family…
Happy to see that they are reunion (thumbs up)
This is so touching, their relationship with each other is very genuine and unique, I can tell that Mr. Damian really loves apes. Its amazing that Kwibi could still remember him after so many years, apes and other animals, they are extremely intelligent and if we treat them nicely, I’m pretty sure that they will remember us.
It melts my heart to see Kwibi hugging Mr. Damian and not wanting to let him go, they really miss each other very much. Animals’ feelings and thinking are some of the things that we will not understand, not if we spend our time to observe them of course. They are often the opposite of what we think they are, they have feelings and they are pretty much like humans, just that they don’t speak human language.
Damien must have taken care of Kwibi very well for them to have this incredible bond even though they have been apart for five years.
We should not doubt the intelligence or feelings of animals just because they cannot speak. Animals expressed their feelings through actions as can be seen from the way Kwibi cling on to Damien. It is so touching.
What a beautiful reunion, even after got released for 5 years and never met, but they would not forget each other and the gorilla will never forget their friendship, never forget Damien’s kindness of raising him.
This is not the only one, but many cases of how animal show gratitude to human and or other animal, they may be a simple life being, but they definitely are easy to satisfy, they are not greedy, not evil, they just want a happy life where many human wanted but they chose not to.
Animal are lower being?? Think again, they have so much for us to learn from…
Such an incredible bond between the the both of them. As I always say, I truly believe that animals are not lower than us for they too have what we have and it’s just that we communicate in different languages. They can feel too just like us. Damian must have taken care of Kwibi well and thats why I can see the bond they have. Even when Damian left, Kwibi followed him leaving the others behind. That shows how much Damian means to Kwibi. Even after 5 years, Kwibi did not forget…. Lovely…
Here are some great pictures of some gorillas, who are brothers, being reunited after years apart.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-19281347
Lets create more stories like this between humans and animals , it is beautiful when we do things that brings peace in our hearts and we know that in that relationship no one is hurt.
It is touchingly beautiful! The bond between man and primate is so strong that after five years, kwibi not only remembers Damian but clings on to him. The meeting between both of them was tender and nostalgic. Some humans who made it big forgot their own friends who helped them in the past.
Great : )
Tsem Rinpoche, Thanks for sharing Kwibi’s story. It’s very, very touching. I have a special relationship with a dog named Pam who lives at the SPCA. Over the years, Pam’s gotten into trouble for snapping and biting humans but she has never harmed me. Till today, I will visit her and we still have a rollicking good time together. I’m told she’s mellowed in her old age and is better behaved now.
I believe humans and animals have a very special link and that we can learn a lot from them. I love and respect animals and I am saddened that many humans see them as inferior or as mere objects to be used for amusement or tools. Blessings!