Bak

She first opened her eyes to the world on the first day of 1984 in the forests of Zaire, a wild‑caught newborn in a land that would later become the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eight years later, on 8 August 1991, she entered the collection at Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa, where she has lived ever since.

The transfer brought her into the care of Portuguese keepers, who have watched her grow from a curious infant into a mature adult. She shares her enclosure with a mixed‑age troop, where her gentle demeanor helps maintain the social fabric of the group.

Her subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and her presence in Lisbon provides an important educational link between visitors and the plight of wild populations.

At 42 years old, she remains a cornerstone of the zoo’s great‑ape program, offering a living connection to the forests of Central Africa.