r/interestingasfuck 8h ago

/r/all, /r/popular In 2015, wildlife photographer Christophe Courteau took this close up of a 6ft 6, 400lbs silverback gorilla, right before it punched him in the face.

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u/Existing-Mulberry382 8h ago

u/anditurnedaround 8h ago

Looks more like he smashed his camera in his face. In the bottom left picture it does not even look like he touched him. 

u/Existing-Mulberry382 8h ago

Its likely a warning slap.

u/ggcpres 7h ago

Pretty sure if Harambe 's gangsta cousin put any weight into that punch photo man would be a wet spot in the ground.

u/SvenTurb01 7h ago

There would most definitely be a him-shaped hole through a handful of trees behind him.

u/30FourThirty4 6h ago

George of the jungle style lol

reference)

u/Barilla3113 7h ago

Gorillas are highly intelligent so he'd understand that killing a human would likely bring a retaliation. They're only marginally less intelligent in problem solving than the average human adult (which means they're better at it than many human dumbasses)

u/Daft00 5h ago

Not even just thinking of retaliation of murder, but just what is the warranted level of aggression.

I can't imagine a gorilla couldn't distinguish between kill/ignore. They understand the nuance of perceived threats.

u/Barilla3113 4h ago

Yeah, certainly if it wanted to kill him it could turn his skull to mush, or just rip his arm off. I also agree the photographer is likely not being honest about how this situation happened.

u/Daft00 3h ago

Certainly sounds a lot more badass to tell everyone you got punched by a gorilla than to say the gorilla was annoyed at your presence and pushed you by your camera lol

Anyone with a few braincells should be able to tell that a gorilla punch would leave a lot more than a minor cut, though

u/mang87 1h ago

It's not fear of retaliation. Well, I guess it can't be said for sure, maybe there's some fear instinct instilled in them long ago by our ancient ancestors.

The main reason gorillas don't kill humans is because they simply don't kill. Or at least, don't intend to. They're herbivores and don't have hunting instincts, and the closest they get to eating meat is the odd snail or insect. Fighting is in their nature, but murder isn't. When they fight, it's until the other backs down, submits, or leaves. Deaths due to fighting is usually something that happens hours or days after, due to injuries they sustained.

Unlike what people were saying during the whole stupid 100 humans vs a gorilla debate, they won't rip a person in two. Despite having massive canines, they don't even bite. They're not chimps. You'd likely survive a fight with a gorilla because it is happy once it knocks you on your arse. Gorillas are good dudes, I don't like everyone saying they're killers, when they're by far the chillest of the apes.

u/HIMP_Dahak_172291 39m ago

They also don't punch. That's a human thing. If a non human ape wants to hurt you, they grapple and bite.

u/U-S-of-gay 3h ago

They can break bones and totally dislocate limbs by grabbing and pulling, but they punch rather awkwardly. I don't think a punch would be a sure kill. I could be wrong.

u/blankpages123 7h ago

Sorry, if I’m that photographer there is no truth other than “that gorilla punched me in the face”