The news of a selfie going viral is no new news. But this time, it’s not a celebrity photo. A couple of endangered mountain gorillas from Virunga National Park looked like they’d drop the hottest album of the year as they posed with two anti-poaching rangers from the Democratic Republic of Congo for a selfie. One of the rangers Mathieu Shamavu posted the picture on his Facebook in order to raise awareness about the dwindling species. Gorilla ‘Funerals’ Prove that the Apes Grieve the Dead, But Simians Licking Corpses of Loved Ones Could Spread Ebola, Warns Experts (Watch Video).

The two gorillas stood facing the camera, looking human-like in their mannerisms and expressions. Social media picked up the image and started sharing it with a frenzied pace. The selfie has now officially gone viral, helping the ranger’s original intention – to bring attention to the plight of the endangered mountain gorillas.

Check the Viral FB Post by Mathew Shamavu:

The Virunga National Park, according to the park’s website, is Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse protected areas.” It is also a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Jaguar Attacks Woman at Arizona Zoo As She Tries to Take Selfies With the Wild Animal, Video Goes Viral. 

The national park has been affected by the armed conflict in the region for over 20 years. Around 600 rangers dedicatedly protect the forest, and some lose their lives defending it. Locals go through an intense training process, risking their lives, to protect the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.

These gorillas are among WWF’s “Critically Endangered” list, who could face possible extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, disease and civil war. The endearing selfie also goes to prove how familiar the animals are with humans and how they live symbiotically with the locals of Virunga.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2019 11:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).