Fly, fly away from poachers as pilot rescues baby chimpanzee

The rescue video is nothing short of charming.

But the story of a baby chimpanzee named Mussa, who was airlifted from Virunga National Park to the safety of an animal sanctuary in Congo this week, is anything but.

Poachers ripped his family apart.

“Unfortunately his family family is dead, we do not know how many, maybe only the mum, but most likely several members of his family were killed,” Lwiro Primates, a rehabilitation facility wrote on Facebook. “Is impossible to take away a baby from the arms of her / his mum without killing her, because as humans, primates will do all the possible to protect their offspring.”

But humans are giving him renewed hope.

This is the third chimp rescue of the year.

This young chimp is lucky to have survived poachers. Lwiro Primates/Facebook

It’s not easy.

“We thanks the amazing job of Virunga National Park rescuing this little boy from a uncertain future and for facilitating his transport!” the sanctuary added.  “Rescues are always a mix of feelings… happy because we are saving them but sad at the same time for what it means for wild populations.”

Pilot, Anthony Caere, is also the star of this wonderful video and is melting hearts around the world.

He calms the wayward baby with, “shhhhh,” lets him sit on his lap, even picks nits from his hair and nuzzles his head.

“This looks cute but is actually a sad story,” Caere writes on Instagram. “He should be with his mum.. But happy we could give him a new good home! Thanks to the whole team! This is conservation!”

Dare you not to swoon upon landing when the baby chimp leaps into his rescuer’s arms.


Photos Lwiro Primates/Facebook

About the author

Recovering newspaper reporter.

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