Mountain gorilla Ndakasi, whose selfie from Earth Day 2019 had gone viral, passed away last month at the age of 14. The gorilla was at the Virunga National Park of Congo, where she had been living for over a decade since her rescue. According to Virunga's press release, Ndakasi died on the evening of September 26. She was suffering from a long-term illness which resulted in a rapid deterioration of her health. The 14-year old gorilla died in her caretaker Andre Bauma's arms while under treatment at the park's Senkwekwe Center.Andre Bauma said:"It was a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature, especially knowing the trauma Ndakasi suffered at a very young age. It was Ndakasi's sweet nature and intelligence that helped me to understand the connection between humans and Great Apes and why we should do everything in our power to protect them."Bauma, who starred in the Netflix documentary on Virunga, also added:"I am proud to have called Ndakasi my friend. I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her."Here's how the internet reacted to Ndakasi's demiseAccording to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the average lifespan of a mountain gorilla in the wild is about 40 years. However, due to Ndakasi's condition, she passed away after being an adult for just four years. The news of her untimely death was met with many emotional responses.Sheilah Birgen@SheilahBirgenBeautiful pictures of André Bauma with Ndakasi in Virunga. The pictures are by James Gifford, Winner of Human/Nature category in Natural World Photography Competition 2019.RIP Ndakasi 💔10:09 AM · Oct 6, 202112438Beautiful pictures of André Bauma with Ndakasi in Virunga. The pictures are by James Gifford, Winner of Human/Nature category in Natural World Photography Competition 2019.RIP Ndakasi 💔 https://t.co/jFdECQUmlHAlex Walcott@alexwalcott1@mrwtffacts That photo with Andre where the two gorillas are standing is amazing!12:00 PM · Oct 7, 2021@mrwtffacts That photo with Andre where the two gorillas are standing is amazing!Mayank vyas@maulik784@mrwtffacts That's the unbearable pain for #AndreBuama🙏3:59 AM · Oct 7, 2021@mrwtffacts That's the unbearable pain for #AndreBuama🙏FlowerPower@FlowerElevation@MetroUK beautiful picture. glad the man was able to care for them while they were alive. hope he finds some other greatful animals to keep him company.6:05 AM · Oct 7, 20212@MetroUK beautiful picture. glad the man was able to care for them while they were alive. hope he finds some other greatful animals to keep him company.Keith Oldman@Ponderoda@MetroUK I was born introduced to terrorFrom catastrophe I found loveA soulmate perhaps, a friendjust being became enoughI showed that I have humourFor my captors, those who careMany looked & laughed & marvelledThere was a time of joy for me right there.Thanks for the memory.X12:37 PM · Oct 7, 2021193@MetroUK I was born introduced to terrorFrom catastrophe I found loveA soulmate perhaps, a friendjust being became enoughI showed that I have humourFor my captors, those who careMany looked & laughed & marvelledThere was a time of joy for me right there.Thanks for the memory.X🐳 h0t_p0ppy 🐳@h0t_p0ppy@mrwtffacts Aww RIP she was loved10:50 AM · Oct 7, 2021@mrwtffacts Aww RIP she was lovedSQUAREPANTS™_🇰🇪💦@MorrisonMathen1@mrwtffacts it's SAD to see such bond breaking n parting ways 😥💔12:48 PM · Oct 7, 2021@mrwtffacts it's SAD to see such bond breaking n parting ways 😥💔AvA 🌎@AvA4Bleue@MetroUK their friendship is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I remember clearly when my beloved dog took her last breath in my arms. i didn’t want her to feel alone but it has left me devastated beyond my expectations 💔8:57 AM · Oct 6, 20212658@MetroUK their friendship is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I remember clearly when my beloved dog took her last breath in my arms. i didn’t want her to feel alone but it has left me devastated beyond my expectations 💔Jen Flix 👀@Jenflixxx@MetroUK God this is so sad. The way she is clinging to him. She trusted him so much thank god he was there for her. We don’t deserve animals we really don’t 🥺9:32 AM · Oct 6, 20212564@MetroUK God this is so sad. The way she is clinging to him. She trusted him so much thank god he was there for her. We don’t deserve animals we really don’t 🥺Katie@KatieBforYang@MetroUK I hope Mr. Bauma feels all of the love & sympathy expressed around the world for his loss. Whether with gorilla or dog, humans are infinitely better for the bonds & lessons other creatures gift us with. It is a privilege.10:49 AM · Oct 6, 20211386@MetroUK I hope Mr. Bauma feels all of the love & sympathy expressed around the world for his loss. Whether with gorilla or dog, humans are infinitely better for the bonds & lessons other creatures gift us with. It is a privilege.How did Ndakasi come to Virunga National Park?Andre and Ndakasi (Image via Virunga National Park)Ndakasi was born in the Kabirizi group in April 2007. She was rescued as a two-month-old toddler after her mother Nyiransekuye ("someone happy to welcome others") was killed by armed militia in the region.From there, she was taken to a rescue center in Goma, where Ndakasi met her caregiver and friend Andre Bauma. It was decided that due to her experience of losing her mother, she was too traumatized to be left alone in the wild. Thus, the orphaned gorilla was taken to Virunga's Senkwekwe Center (in 2009), where she was accompanied by another gorilla Ndeze.Virunga described Ndeze as her "partner in crime." Ndakasi's viral selfie ushered her into stardom as she was documented by several tv series and films. According to the park:"The death of Ndakasi underscores the importance of protecting gorillas in their natural habitat, where they thrive and where their life expectancy is greatest."The park's concerns are justified as there are only 1,063 gorillas left on the planet, as per WWF.