The Gorilla Who Saved a Child: Binti Jua’s Unforgettable Act of Compassion at Brookfield Zoo

By Sarah Kline, Science and Human Interest Correspondent

November 1, 2025 – Brookfield, IL – On a humid August afternoon in 1996, chaos erupted at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo when a 3-year-old boy slipped from his mother’s grasp, tumbled over a 4-foot railing, and plummeted 18 feet into the gorilla enclosure below. The child struck his head on concrete and lay motionless, unconscious. Screams pierced the air as horrified onlookers watched a 135-pound western lowland gorilla named Binti Jua approach the limp body. Fearing the worst, visitors braced for tragedy—only to witness one of the most astonishing displays of interspecies empathy ever recorded.

Binti Jua, an 8-year-old female gorilla who had given birth to a daughter just 10 months earlier, didn’t roar, charge, or harm the boy. Instead, she gently scooped him into her arms as if he were her own infant, cradling him against her chest. With deliberate care, she carried the unconscious child 60 feet across the enclosure, away from the other gorillas, and set him down near a service door where zookeepers could safely retrieve him. As she laid him on the ground, she even patted his back softly—an action that left witnesses in tears and experts stunned. Paramedics rushed the boy to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was treated for a fractured skull, facial lacerations, and a broken hand. Miraculously, he made a full recovery and was released after four days.

The incident, captured on amateur video that aired worldwide, transformed Binti Jua into an international symbol of compassion. “She was incredibly gentle,” recalled Melinda Pruett-Jones, then-assistant curator of primates at Brookfield Zoo. “She picked him up, held him close, and carried him to safety. It was maternal instinct at its purest.” Zookeepers noted that Binti had been hand-reared by humans after being rejected by her mother and trained in maternal care using a doll—a program that may have shaped her response. Yet, many experts insist her actions went beyond conditioning. “This wasn’t learned behavior,” said Dr. Jane Goodall in a 1996 statement. “This was empathy.”

The boy’s mother, who had briefly turned away to tend to another child, later expressed profound gratitude. “I thought he was gone,” she told reporters anonymously. “That gorilla saved my son’s life.” The child, whose identity was protected, grew up unaware of his fame until years later. In a 2016 interview with Chicago Tribune, now a young adult, he reflected: “I don’t remember it, but I’m grateful. Binti was my guardian angel.”

Binti Jua’s story reverberated far beyond the zoo. Media dubbed her “the gentle giant,” and she received fan mail, flowers, and even a medal from the American Legion. The incident sparked global conversations about animal intelligence, emotions, and the ethics of zoos. Brookfield Zoo saw attendance soar 30% in the following months, with visitors flocking to see Binti and her daughter, Koola, who was often seen riding on her back.

Primatologists point to Binti’s act as evidence of gorillas’ capacity for altruism. Studies since 1996, including research at the Gorilla Foundation, show gorillas exhibit empathy, grief, and even cross-species kindness—behaviors once thought uniquely human. Binti had observed human caregivers tending to her own infant, and experts believe she recognized the boy’s vulnerability. “She saw a helpless baby and responded as a mother would,” said Dr. Tara Stoinski, president of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “It’s a powerful reminder that compassion isn’t confined to our species.”

The event also prompted safety upgrades. Brookfield Zoo raised enclosure barriers, added padded flooring, and installed more surveillance. Similar incidents—like Harambe the gorilla’s death in Cincinnati in 2016 after a child fell into his enclosure—reignited debates about zoo design and human responsibility. But Binti’s story remains a beacon of hope, often cited in animal behavior textbooks and ethics discussions.

Binti Jua lived until 2021, dying peacefully at age 32. Her legacy endures at Brookfield Zoo, where a plaque near the Tropic World exhibit reads: “In memory of Binti Jua, who showed us the heart of a gorilla.” Her daughter Koola, now 29, and granddaughter, Nora, born in 2023, continue to thrive, delighting visitors with their playful antics.

Nearly three decades later, Binti’s act of kindness still captivates. Viral clips resurface every August, amassing millions of views with captions like “Proof animals have souls.” On Reddit’s r/HumansBeingBros, users share the footage alongside messages of unity: “If a gorilla can protect a human child, imagine what we could do for each other.”

In an era of division, Binti Jua’s story is a quiet miracle—a 135-pound gorilla who, in 60 seconds of courage, reminded the world that compassion can cross any barrier. As the boy’s mother later said, “She didn’t see a human child. She saw a baby in need.” And in that moment, she became more than a gorilla. She became a hero.