You have seen many pictures of this gentlemen! Many tourists who have gone gorilla trekking have taken good shots of this guy! This is Cantsbee, the oldest mountain gorilla in Volcanoes National Park. Born in 1978, Cantsbee is 38 Years Old.

Cantsbee is one of the last two gorillas named and studied by Dian Fossey, the other being an elderly female named Poppy.  According to Tara Stoinski president of  the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Cantsbee is the longest living male that they have ever recorded. Since the average age of this particular gorilla population is around the 20s, Cantsbee is enjoying his last days on earth. In November 2016 it was reported that he had disappeared from the group. In late February 2016, one of the Dian Fossey Fund staff saw this elderly silverback though he was looking weak.

Cantsbee has a great history for gorilla conservation. He has been such a great leader and for two decades he has been the dominant male for his group. He made up the largest troop any scientist has ever observed because Cantsbee had sired more offspring than any gorilla known to science. In his prime, Cantsbee’s troop had about 65 gorillas and yet most gorillas live in groups of not more than 10.

Cantsbee is also remembered and credited for raising one of his sons Gacurasi after the juvenile’s mother past away at an early stage. Stoinksi also remembers watching Cantbee care for a half dozen infants once, while their mothers went off to forage

Photo Credits: Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International