Doumassi

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their African range. Born in Cameroon on 3 June 2026, Doumassi represents the next generation of her critically endangered subspecies. Her parents both came from wild populations, making her genetic contribution valuable to conservation efforts.

She arrived at Mefou Primate Sanctuary in late December 2017, where she has lived for several years now. The sanctuary provides care for rescued and orphaned primates across Cameroon, often taking in young gorillas who have lost their mothers to poaching or habitat destruction.

As a captive-born female, she carries the genetic diversity of wild gorilla populations while living under human care. Her subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, continues to decline in Central African forests due to hunting pressure and deforestation.