Boston, Massachusetts – A heartwarming encounter between a young mother from Maine and a gorilla named Kiki at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston has captivated the hearts of many after a video of the touching moment went viral.
Emmelina Austin, a new mother from Jefferson, Maine, was visiting the zoo with her five-week-old son, Canyon, when the remarkable encounter took place. As Emmelina and Canyon were near Kiki’s exhibit, the primate, known for her gentle disposition, took a keen interest in the sleeping newborn.
Emmelina recounted the magical moment, saying, “She kept looking around the corner of the cave, and I was like, ‘She’s looking at Canyon.'” To her astonishment, the gorilla approached and gazed at her son with a look of tenderness and curiosity.
For more than five minutes, Kiki sat beside the protective glass, fixated on the sleeping baby. Emmelina’s husband, Michael Austin, captured the touching encounter on video and shared it on YouTube, where it quickly gained over 71,000 views.
In the video’s description, Michael explained, “This gorilla is Kiki. She recently had a baby named Pablo. My wife, Emmelina, also had a baby five weeks previous to this video. Kiki had brought her baby over to us and shared a connection with my wife and our baby boy Canyon.”
The footage shows Kiki sitting alongside her own baby, Pablo, near the safety glass separating them from Emmelina and Canyon. Kiki gently placed her hand against the glass near the sleeping child’s head in a gesture that radiated affection.
Kiki gave birth to Pablo in October, making him the first male baby gorilla at the Franklin Park Zoo. Since his birth, Kiki has demonstrated a deep bond with her baby, often holding him close.
Emmelina Austin expressed her astonishment, saying, “When I walked into the zoo that day, I never could’ve imagined that we would have had that experience. It was so beautiful, and we walked out just over the moon.”
This heartwarming interaction serves as a reminder of the connections that can be forged between humans and the animal kingdom, even in the most unexpected of places, bringing joy and wonder to those who witness it.
