Cecil

He first opened his eyes on 3 November 1998 in the Cincinnati Zoo, the son of Muke and Chaka. From his earliest days he was raised in a captive environment, a circumstance that gave keepers a clear view of his development. By the time he reached his fifth birthday, a move to Louisville Zoo was arranged, and he settled into a new troop there.

At Louisville he spent over two decades, becoming a familiar face for visitors and a steady presence for his caretakers. The gorilla’s subspecies, western lowland, is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, underscoring the importance of each animal in managed care. His age now stands at 27, a respectable span for a male of his kind.

August 14 2025 marked another chapter as he was transferred to the San Francisco Zoo, where he continues to live. The new setting offers fresh enrichment opportunities and allows the public to connect with a species that faces severe threats in the wild. His story reflects the broader effort to sustain western lowland gorillas through dedicated zoo programs.