Dossi

On 4 February 2001 the Wildlife Conservation Society in the Bronx welcomed a new female western lowland gorilla into its care. Her parents, Pattycake and Zuri, provided the early social foundation that keepers still reference when discussing her development.

She spent the first eight years of life at the Bronx facility, a period during which she grew alongside her mother and learned the cues that keepers use to monitor health and behavior. When she turned eight, a carefully planned relocation took her to Calgary Zoo on 21 May 2009, where she has remained ever since.

Now 25 years old, she is a familiar face at Calgary, often observed lounging in the shade or gently interacting with younger members of the troop. Her subspecies, the western lowland gorilla, is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, highlighting the importance of her role in conservation education.

Visitors who watch her move through the habitat are reminded that every thriving individual contributes to the broader effort to safeguard this species for future generations.