The Cuddly Orangutan Offers A Helping Hand To The Man Stuck In Mud

Photo of an orangutan offering an arm to the man standing inside a river has gone viral on social media platforms. The photo was clicked by photographer Anil Prabhakar, from Indonesia who was on a safari with his friends.

When the crew member returned to the shore, Prabhakar asked why he hadn't accepted the orangutan's gift of help. The man explained that he was there only as a "lifeguard" and must never engage with the wild animals. He added that orangutans have such strong hands and arms that he might've gotten hurt, or worse, the orangutan might've lost her balance and fallen into the river. Prabhakar held on to the powerful photos he took that day for a year before deciding to share them. The contradiction of the orangutan trying to help a human — even after all humans have done to destroy her natural habitat — touched Prabhakar deeply. Prabhakar believes there's an important lesson to be learned from such a moment, and was grateful he was there to capture it and share it with the world.