Understanding the Encounter
Ranger Samuel stepped forward slowly, lowering his equipment. The utter disbelief on his face mirrored my own.
“I have worked in this reserve for fifteen years,” Samuel whispered, his voice trembling with awe. “I have never seen anything like this. She didn’t just find him. She adopted him for those hours.”
“Why did she do it?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off her.
“She lost her own infant to a leopard last month,” Samuel explained softly, kneeling down a few feet away from us. “Her name is Matumba. She has been grieving. When she found your boy alone in the brush, her maternal instincts must have completely taken over.”
Hearing those words broke my heart. I looked at Matumba, seeing past her massive size and terrifying strength. I saw a grieving mother who had found a way to heal a piece of her broken heart by protecting my lost child.
“I am so sorry for your loss, Matumba,” I said out loud, my heart aching for her.
The gorilla blinked slowly, as if accepting the condolences. She reached down, plucked a small blade of grass, and inspected it with absolute focus. The sheer peace radiating from her completely transformed the atmosphere of the jungle…..
