Watching This Gorilla Kissing Her Newborn Baby Is Going to Stir Your Hormones Right Up

I remember giving birth to both my babies, and each time, I felt compelled to kiss them, not just once or twice, but constantly. At one point after several minutes of straight baby kissing, my husband stopped me and said I should probably take a break.

So, when I saw this video bubbling up of a mama gorilla kissing her newborn baby, I instantly connected in a way I never thought possible with another species. The way this animal held her baby and delicately smooched her smack on the lips? It was like looking in a mirror.

Calaya, a western lowland gorilla, gave birth to baby boy Moke a few months ago at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The moment wasn't just special for the first-time mom – Make was the first baby gorilla born at the zoo in nine years, and it was a positive step for the species, which is critically endangered due to disease and poaching.

Although some commenters believe she was actually cleaning her baby or clearing his airwaves, it all comes from a place of love — a love that, whether you're an ape mom or a human mom, is going to stir your hormones right up.