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By Molly Pennington
THE CUTEST shots of animals raising their young – including an exasperated orangutan mum forced to drag her stubborn baby across the dirt – show how the highs and lows of parenthood are not limited to humans.
In one of the photographs, a Gorilla can be seen lovingly cradling its baby in one hand, while another humorous photograph sequence shows an Orangutan dragging its reluctant infant along the ground.
Other photographs in the collection include a giraffe calf pulling tongues to the camera, lionesses and Tigresses carrying their cubs by the scruff of their necks, and a surprised looking Kangaroo with her joey.
Photographer Galina Bonnard, primarily visited Pairi Daiza—a 173-acre zoo that is home to seven thousand animals located in Brugelette, Belgium—to capture the photographs.
To complete her project to document these cute family moments she also visited Dierenrijk zoo, Beekse Bergen Safari Park, both of which are located in The Netherlands, and Zoo Antwerpen in Belgium.
“The gorilla carrying her young is one of my favourite photos. The situation was almost perfect for a photo and the love and tenderness show beautifully,” Galina said.
“Small Gorillas mostly travel on their mothers’ backs during their first years, before they start exploring and walking around by themselves. This photo is special because small Gorillas don’t often cling to their mothers’ arms.
“The tenderness in such photos is one of the things I like most. There is a special bond between the baby and the mother caring for them.
“The main difference you can see is that primates carry their young with them all the time, while others, such as Lion and Tiger young, move around more freely under the watchful eye of their mother.
“The Orangutans are the most special relation to witness. The animals are incredibly smart and their behaviour is often almost human-like, so very intriguing to watch.
“Even though these images were not taken in the wild, the behaviour and instinct are no other than what you can see in the wild.”
ENDS
