Gorilla dad loves 'abducting' his kids to play with them — and it drives their mom up the wall

Both parents may love their kids equally, but their parenting styles may be completely different from each other, varying by leaps and bounds. In most cases, while the fathers easily take away the "Coolest Parent" title, mothers are usually the ones responsible for keeping things on track. Well, parenting isn't a one-size-fits-all formula, and this adage is not just true for humans but for animals, too. This universal truth was perfectly captured in a hilarious video shared by u/ginawhite_tt on Reddit, where a clip displayed a gorilla dad "abducting" his kids because their strict mom wouldn't allow him to play with them.

In the video, the gorilla dad could be seen playfully kidnapping his kids, prompting a light-hearted, jovial chase from the mother gorilla. This video is even more special because the gorilla's delicate way of carrying his kids defies the century-old stereotype of strict parenting in the animal kingdom. While gently carrying his babies in his arms, the gorilla dad was captured running like his life depended on it. Meanwhile, his always-the-disciplinarian wife ran after them, not wanting the kids to be overtly spoiled by their daddy dearest.

At one point, the gorilla was seen clearing his path, removing all possible obstacles in his way, as if planning for his next abduction. However, at the end, when the mother gorilla forcefully took the kids away, the father sat there like a devastated toddler who just got his toys confiscated. "This gorilla dad loves spending time with his kids, but his missus doesn't allow it when they're too young, so he 'abducts' them, forcing the mom into a harmless, playful chase. It's sort of a family tradition, as he did it with all 3 of his kids," the caption read.

u/guacgobbler pointed out, "The face he made at the end looked so human for a split second I forgot I wasn’t looking at one!" u/donkdonkjonk commented, "Apparently, Silverback Gorillas make for great dads, which is why their female partners stick around with them, not just for protection. Even if the mother dies or leaves the troop, these Silverbacks will not leave the child to die. They're also known for being incredibly patient with their kids and for settling disputes and arguments within their troop. There's even one case of a Silverback knowingly raising the children of another gorilla like they were his." u/bashfullylascivious said, "The part I love is him gently rubbing the baby's arm, almost like he's asking for his arm, and then Mama gets too close, and he just grabs the kiddo and boots it."

On the other hand, u/derezirection wrote, "Love how gentle he is with the kids. When he runs on just his legs, he holds them closer to his body or with both hands. Even seems like he takes small steps to ensure he doesn't tumble or drop them during the chase. Most wholesome dad in the Animal kingdom lol." u/relysti revealed, "Gorillas make good dads. I remember in a book I read, I want to say it was about Dian Fossey, there was a story about how a young gorilla's mom left the group and abandoned him. His dad, the Silverback, immediately became his primary caregiver, carrying him around, feeding him, and sleeping with him. They're dank animals."

u/itry_ifail_itryagain commented, "I feel so bad for the mom freaking out every time, not knowing if they're really going to be safe with him. But at the same time, I can't stop smiling at the thought of her just running, chasing him around, 'Not again! HAROLD! Be careful!'"