Orangutan smile

Exchanging eye contact with any great ape imbues a deep sense of connection … so when this mother and baby orangutan gazed into my eyes it was already a special moment. But then something else happened … they both started displaying emotions which looked like laughter. So here’s the question … are they smiling and laughing ? Or am I merely observing them from my limited perception of being human ? @IanWoodPhotos These photos were taken during my Borneo orangutan holidays to Tanjung Puting national park which I run in partnership with the Orangutan Foundation UK. My new book ‘Swimming with dolphins, Tracking gorillas’ shows where and how to see the world’s iconic wildlife in the most ethical ways possible … including orangutans of course. Here are the latest Amazon reviews.