For over two decades, André Bauma has been committed to the welfare of orphaned mountain gorillas living in the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As the chief caretaker at the Senkwekwe Center, the only orphaned mountain gorilla sanctuary in the world, Bauma's job is not only to feed and nurture the orphaned young gorillas who have been orphaned due to poaching, conflicts or illegal wildlife trafficking, but it is also about having enough patience, trust, and even a parental connection with animals that rely on human protection to survive.
It was through the famous documentary film "Virunga," released in 2014, that viewers from all over the world got to know about André Bauma and his exceptional work with orphaned mountain gorillas."I can say I am her mother": André Bauma became a parent to orphaned mountain gorillasAs the head caretaker at the Senkwekwe Center, the world's only sanctuary for orphaned mountain gorillas, André Bauma has devoted his life to raising infant gorillas that have lost their families to poaching, armed conflict and the illegal wildlife trade.
Many arrive traumatised and too young to survive on their own, relying entirely on human care for food, comfort and protection.Bauma and his fellow caretakers bottle-feed the infants, monitor their health, play with them and spend almost every moment by their side, giving them the affection they would normally receive from their mothers.
