Some powerful photos showing an orangutan lending a helping hand to a forest warden standing in a river, have recently went viral on social media. The amateur photographer Anil Prabhaka has capture the dramatic moment while on a safari in a conservation forest area in Borneo.

The forest warden, was reportedly clearing the waters of snakes. As it is known, the snakes are a major threat to the great apes. But, the wild animal thought the man had fallen into the snaked-filled waters, so she decided to help him in a deep gesture of kindness.

“Someone told him there was a snake in the river,” Prabhakar said. “The warden went there and cleared the bushes. An orangutan came to the banks and was watching what he was doing. He then came closer and gave his hand.” The forest warden works for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, a non-profit organization whose efforts are to protect and conserve this endangered species.

The photographer who’s from Indonesia, told the warden eventually refused the great ape’s hand. According to him, the man said it would not have been wised to touch an unfamiliar wild animal, despite his job is to protect those animals. “The warden just moved away,” the photographer said. “I asked him why later and he said: ‘It’s a wild animal, not one we are familiar with’. But they are to protect them.”

In the last four decades, Bornean orangutans lost over a half of their natural habitats. And the main reason is logging operations. Fortunately, non-profit organizations as the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation are desperately trying to protect these habitats and save this critically endangered species. All image credit: Image credits: Anil Prabhakar