Ndakasi dies due to prolonged illness at Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Center. – Picture via Instagram/Virunga National Park
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 – A female mountain gorilla known as Ndakasi who made headlines in 2019 after photobombing her caretaker’s selfie, has died at the age of 14.
Ndakasi died in the loving arms of her caretaker, Andre Bauma, on September 26 due to a protracted illness at the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Center, where she had resided for more than a decade.
According to NBC News, her death was confirmed by Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a statement.
Bauma, who rescued and brought Ndakasi to the centre after her mother was shot by armed militia as part of a series of gorilla family killings, expressed his grief at Ndakasi’s death and claimed that she was intelligent enough to understand the connection between humans and Great Apes.
“It was a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature, especially knowing the trauma Ndakasi suffered at a very young age,” Bauma said in a statement.
“I am proud to have called Ndakasi my friend,” he said.
“I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her.
“She will be missed by all of us at Virunga but we are forever grateful for the richness Ndakasi brought to our lives during her time at Senkwekwe,” he said.
Virunga National Park also announced the death of Ndakasi on its official Instagram account yesterday.
The post garnered a huge range of attention from people with 46,233 likes and 4,011 comments.
Many Instagram users have conveyed their motivating note to Bauma as well.
“She will be missed so hard,” one user said.
“Andre Bauma is one of the most extraordinary humans. RIP Ndakasi ,” said another person.
“Such an impactful image. Thank you for your work and my condolences,” another comment read.
“So so sorry to hear your tragic news of the loss of Ndakasi. Thank you so much Andre for looking after her & loving her so much. You are an Angel,” another post said.
Ndakasi was born in 2007 and became famous in 2019 after striking a pose with another orphaned mountain gorilla, Ndeze, reported CNN Travel.
In the photograph, one stood confidently in a power pose with her feet wide apart, while the other leaned forward to fit into the frame.