In a world full of chaos and uncertainty, there are moments that remind us of the profound bond we share with all living creatures.
One such moment happened over two decades ago at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, when Binti Jua, a 160-pound female gorilla, displayed an incredible act that touched the hearts of millions.
The unlikely hero
On a warm summer afternoon in 1996, a 3-year-old boy’s day at the zoo took a terrifying turn. As the child climbed a barrier surrounding the gorilla enclosure, he fell 25 feet to the ground below, injuring himself severely.
The boy’s mother and visitors screamed in horror, unsure of what would happen next. Inside the enclosure, seven hulking primates were lounging.
One of the animals, a rare western lowland female gorilla name, was Binti Jua.
Kankakee Fire Department Catp. Jeff Bruno was there the summer day, and he still remembers it well.
”Aug. 16 — 2:10 p.m.,” he told CBS in 2016.
Jeff was visiting the zoo with two other families when they heard the boy’s mother scream and saw Binti Jua’s incredible response.
At the moment of the fall, the boy hit his head and fainted.
Bruno offered to help, while his brother-in-law grabbed his already running camera and captured the remarkable rescue. The footage would later spread around the world and continues to captivate audiences to this day.
Had the cameras not been there, it might have been hard to believe the story if someone had retold it, but midst the panic, the gorilla calmly approached the unconscious child.
Despite the danger, Binti Jua’s maternal instincts immediately kicked in. In the video, you can see her scanning the area, glancing left, right, and up, as if searching for someone to help. It’s incredible how she instinctively knew what to do.
Cradling the child gently in her arms, she shielded him from harm, her baby Koola still perched on her back.
Used a hose to drive away the other gorillas
Zoo employees used a hose to drive away the other gorillas, while Binti Jua gently laid the boy near the exhibit entrance before quickly retreating, allowing zookeepers and paramedics to safely retrieve him.
”We assessed (the boy) and we packaged him up. I think we used duct tape because that’s all that was there,” Bruno said.
Some believe this was a deliberate choice by the gorilla, as if she understood the importance of getting the boy to safety. The boy, though injured, survived the ordeal with a broken hand and a few bruises.
The story of Binti Jua’s heroic actions spread like wildfire, quickly becoming a symbol of empathy and compassion. People from all over the world marveled at the bond between a gorilla and a human child. The zoo emerged from the incident with little backlash.
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For months, the media couldn’t stop talking about the gorilla who became an accidental hero, and visitors flocked to the zoo to witness her gentle and protective nature in person.
She was showered with special treats and attention from zoo staff, as people flocked to the zoo to get a glimpse of the compassionate gorilla who saved a child.
Newsweek honored Binti Jua as its ”Hero of the Year,” while People magazine included her among its ”Most Intriguing People” — despite the fact that she wasn’t technically a person.
But what’s even more remarkable is that Binti Jua’s act wasn’t just a result of zoo training — though she had been hand-raised and taught to care for infant gorillas.
Her actions reflected a deeper sense of empathy and care, something that experts like primatologist Frans de Waal argue shows true animal altruism.
Her maternal instincts, though honed in a zoo environment, were as natural as any mother’s protective instincts — proving that the desire to nurture, protect, and care for others transcends species.
The aftermath – what happened
The incident sparked also debates among experts. Some wondered if Binti Jua’s actions were a result of careful training by the zoo, while others believed that her behavior reflected innate empathy.
Because Binti had been hand-raised by humans, rather than being raised by her mother (who had rejected her at birth), she underwent special training to care for infant gorillas and learned how to bring her own offspring to zoo personnel for check-ups.
Gorillas have long been seen as fearsome creatures, largely due to their powerful build — stocky frames, thick bones, and long arms.
Their reputation for aggression, however, is more a product of Hollywood portrayals, with films like King Kong fueling the myth. But as Binti Jua proved, these stereotypes couldn’t be further from the truth.
A similar incident occurred with another gorilla, Jambo, at Jersey Zoo, when he protected a child who fell into his enclosure. But the debate over what motivates animals to act in such compassionate ways doesn’t lessen the beauty of the actions themselves.
Who was the boy Binti Jua saved
Very little is known about the boy Binti Jua saved that day — his name was never made public at the request of his parents. What we do know is that he was initially listed in critical condition but was later expected to make a full recovery.
He suffered head injuries, broken bones in one hand, and multiple scrapes and cuts.
A few days after the incident, one of his doctors shared an update, suggesting the toddler was doing surprisingly well.
“He’s acting quite normal. He does not remember anything about the events and we haven’t asked him anything about it.”
In a time when the world seems increasingly divided, the story of Binti Jua reminds us that kindness can come from the most unexpected sources.
Whether it’s a parent protecting their child or a gorilla protecting an unknown child, the instinct to care for others, to show empathy, is universal.
Binti Jua’s legacy is not just that of a gorilla who saved a child; it’s a legacy of love, compassion, and the reminder that we are all connected in ways we may not fully understand. Share this story if you agree!
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