Grace

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 left across their African range. Grace represents hope for her critically endangered subspecies through managed breeding programs that maintain genetic diversity in captivity.

Born to mother Kashata and father Gino on May Day 2019, she entered the world at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of a carefully managed population. Her parents’ pairing contributes valuable genetics to the Species Survival Plan that coordinates breeding efforts across North American facilities.

At just over four years old, Grace remains in the early stages of her development. Young gorillas typically stay close to their mothers for several years, learning essential social behaviors and foraging techniques that will serve them throughout their lives.

Her subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, continues to decline in Central and West African forests due to habitat loss, disease, and human encroachment. Every birth like Grace’s helps maintain a genetically viable population that could one day contribute to conservation efforts in the wild.