Back in 1986, 5-year-old Levan Merritt was at the Durrell Wildlife Park in the U.K. when he and his family came upon the gorilla enclosure. Little Levan couldn’t see things so well so, with his family’s backs to him, he climbed over the wall. But he slipped and fell onto some concrete and it knocked him unconscious. His family and others screamed after seeing what had happened.
Then, Jambo the gorilla approached the boy. Everyone gasped. But instead of harming the boy, Jambo patted him gently, and kept other gorillas away from him until park officials could get into the enclosure and get Levan out.
Well Levan is all grown up now, with children of his own, and he teaches them the importance of respecting animals and wildlife.
Jambo died in 1992, but a memorial statue of him was created and remains at the park to this day. Levan was there for its unveiling.
