In the heart of Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest protected area, a Congolese ranger has spent close to two decades doing something few people on Earth can claim: raising orphaned mountain gorillas as his own children.
His name is André Bauma, and as chief caretaker of the Senkwekwe Center — the only sanctuary in the world dedicated to orphaned mountain gorillas — he has become one of the most quietly celebrated figures in African conservation.
Who Is André Bauma?
André Bauma has cared for orphaned mountain gorillas at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2007. Many of the gorillas who arrive at Senkwekwe have lost their families to poaching, armed conflict, or illegal wildlife trafficking — infants too young and too traumatized to survive alone in the forest. Bauma's role goes far beyond feeding and shelter; it requires patience, trust, and what he himself describes as a genuinely parental bond.
That bond was captured most famously in his relationship with Ndakasi, a gorilla found as an infant clinging to the body of her mother after militia killed her family. Bauma raised her from that day on, and their closeness became known worldwide. He once told the BBC, in words that have stayed with audiences ever since: *"We shared the same bed, I played with her, I fed her … I can say I am her mother."*
Ndakasi lived at the Senkwekwe Center for more than a decade, and in 2019 she became an internet sensation after a "gorilla selfie" photo of her and fellow orphan Ndeze — both upright, grinning, arms slung casually like tourists in a group photo — went viral on Earth Day. In September 2021, after a prolonged illness, Ndakasi died in Bauma's arms, a moment the park described simply as her taking her final breath in the arms of her lifelong caretaker and friend.
The Senkwekwe Center: The Only Sanctuary of Its Kind
Opened in 2009–2010, the Senkwekwe Center sits within Virunga National Park near Mikeno Lodge and remains the only sanctuary anywhere in the world built specifically for orphaned mountain gorillas. Because mountain gorillas cannot survive in traditional zoo environments, the center's forested enclosure was designed to mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible, giving rescued infants a stable, secure home for life.
The center operates under the joint care of André Bauma's team of dedicated caretakers and the Gorilla Doctors, a team of veterinary specialists who make regular visits to monitor the health of each gorilla. Every orphan is assigned a dedicated human caretaker, and because infant gorillas are naturally affectionate, deep bonds form quickly — bonds that caretakers say are essential to helping traumatized young gorillas heal.
With fewer than roughly a thousand mountain gorillas left in the wild, and Virunga home to a majority of that global population, the work carried out at Senkwekwe carries outsized importance for the species' survival.
Global Fame Through the Documentary "Virunga"
André Bauma's work reached a worldwide audience through *Virunga*, the Oscar-nominated 2014 documentary that followed park rangers defending the reserve against poachers, armed rebel groups, and oil exploration interests. Bauma's tenderness with the orphaned gorillas in his care — captured in scenes that show him laughing, playing, and comforting them — became one of the film's most emotionally resonant threads, introducing millions of viewers to a side of conservation rarely seen on screen.
Since then, his story has continued to feature in documentaries, news coverage, and tributes to Virunga's rangers, many of whom risk their lives daily to protect the park.
Visiting the Senkwekwe Center
For travelers to eastern DR Congo, the Senkwekwe Center offers a rare opportunity to witness gorilla conservation up close. Visitors staying at Mikeno Lodge can visit free of charge, while those booked elsewhere are advised to arrange a visit in advance through the park or their tour operator. From a viewing deck, guests can watch caretakers feed and interact with the gorillas — a moving complement to Virunga's famous mountain gorilla trekking experience, and often visited by travelers on the same trip after completing a trek.
A visit to Senkwekwe isn't just a wildlife encounter — it's a chance to see, firsthand, the human dedication behind one of Africa's most important conservation stories, and to understand why protecting Virunga's rangers and caretakers matters as much as protecting the gorillas themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Planning a trip to Virunga National Park? Explore our gorilla trekking tours, Virunga destination guide, and build your itinerary with the DRC trip planner.
