Asanti
A female western lowland gorilla who has called Twycross Zoo home for most of her nearly four decades.
Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 left across their African range. Asanti represents one of the captive-born females helping maintain genetic diversity in European breeding programs. She entered the world at Twycross Zoo in June 1985, daughter to Eva and Mamfe.
Her early years included a brief period away from her birthplace. At eight years old, she transferred to Bristol Zoo Gardens, though this stay lasted only nine months before she returned to Twycross in December 1994. Since then, she has remained with the same institution for three decades.
Now approaching her fortieth year, Asanti has lived through significant changes in gorilla conservation and zoo management practices. Her subspecies carries the IUCN classification of Critically Endangered, making every individual in managed care part of a crucial safety net for the species. She continues as one of Twycross Zoo’s most experienced great apes.
| Born | 6 June 1985 |
| Age | 41 years old |
| Gender | ♀ Female |
| Subspecies | Western Lowland Gorilla |
| Current Zoo | Twycross Zoo |
| Born at | Twycross Zoo |
