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Published 14:17 IST, February 9th 2020

Man and orangutan involved in heartwarming encounter, picture wins netizens' hearts

A man and orangutan were involved in a heartwarming encounter where the ape can be seen offering his hand to help the man come out of snake-infested water.

Reported by: Vishal Tiwari
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A picture of an orangutan is moving netizens on social media for the incredible gesture shown by the animal in the viral image. According to media reports, Anil Prabhakar, a geologist from Kerala captured the viral picture at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS). In the picture, an orangutan can be seen stretching his hand, to help out a man stuck in snake-infested water. 

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Prabhakar while talking to the media said that the incident happened when the ape saw the man clearing out the bushes and snake-infested waters before he offered the helping hand to him. The man in the picture, however, did not take the orangutan's hand and climbed out of the water himself from a different area. According to Prabhakar, the man did not take orangutan's help because they are wild animals and, therefore, very unpredictable. 

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The viral picture

As per reports, the incident occurred on the island of Borneo where the critically endangered orangutans are found. Prabhakar while talking to the media also revealed that he along with some friends was on a safari when he witnessed the heartwarming gesture by the ape towards a safari guard. The guard reportedly worked for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS), an organisation protecting the endangered species from habitat destruction and hunting activities. 

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The picture that has grabbed a lot of attention was shared by the foundation and Prabhakar himself. The picture shared on Facebook by BOS has received more than 1,300 likes and has been shared over 400 times. Some of the comments on the picture suggested that netizens are loving it and are moved by the heartwarming gesture. One user commented, "So thoughtful! Would extend a hand to someone in need. Most humans wouldn’t do that. I like animals way more than people."

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14:17 IST, February 9th 2020