He just knew he was a goner and then...

Which I guess is how he was released back to the wild, eh?

Betcha he changed his underwear after that!

He did seem to know how to react...or how not to react.

In 1985 I when on a trip to Zaire (now Congo) to photograph gorillas. The guides told us, when we saw gorillas to bunch up in as a group so stragglers can't be picked off. He said the male leader may charge, but under no circumstances should we run. Gorillas really don't want to hurt you, they want to frighten you away. But if you run, the gorilla might chase you by instinct, and believe me he WILL catch you, and then he might hurt you.

We were hiking in steep mountainous jungle for over two hours looking for them. The guide and I got about 100 yards ahead of the others going up a steep, steep slope. When the guide and I reached the top, we were in a big clearing with only grass about 3 feet tall. Suddenly, 10 feet in front of us a silverback male popped out of the grass. We had spooked him by catching him in the open, and he rushed us. I stood touching the guide as instructed, when the gorilla rushed up and back-handed the guide across the shoulder and sent him flying 10 feet through the air. For some reason the silverback stopped and looked me straight in the eye for several seconds, though it seemed like years to me. We were less than 3 feet apart. I could touch him. He seemed to stare into my soul, then he turned and went into the jungle.

The guide wasn't hurt, but he was really shaken up. He'd been doing it for years, and a gorilla had never touched him. We both knew the gorilla could've killed him with a blow if he wanted to. I must say, I wasn't scared at that moment because it all happened so fast (except for the gorilla stare which lasted years), I didn't have a chance to be afraid. Later, though, it all sunk in and the guide and I commiserated.

I must say, it was for me the most memorable moment of my life.

I had a primal experience with a huge black bear on a solo backpacking trip
high in the mountains. The adrenaline rush was so intense it seemed I was floating.

I've only seen it on TV and I was amazed. You saw it close up. Decades ago I watched a documentary where this guy tried to introduce a gorilla infant to a group in the wild. The silverback moved so fast and snatched it so fast I will always remember that. I don't recall if it lived...so long ago. I can't imagine your experience on tha gut level.

They could rip off our arms like kids rips the wings off of flies, but the fact is they are very gentle animals with great intelligence. The silverback male attacked us as a groups three or four times on different occasions. He charges the group, runs around us beating his chest and running at incredible speeds, and he's ferocious looking...but he never touched us until we caught him in the open. They roar and bluff and don't really want to hurt you.

I think I saw the same gorilla show you did. I believe it was a National Geographic special. The baby gorilla's mom was killed and the baby was saved by natives. The white guy then offered it to the gorilla family and they took it and raised it as their own. Unless it was sick, I'm sure it lived because it was taken care of by the gorilla family. Most animals won't adopt outside babies, but they obviously do. And they didn't kill the guy who returned the baby. You look in their eyes and you see intelligence.

Good thing the gorilla wasn't angry and in mid display.