Halima

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their African range. At Bronx Zoo, one member of this critically endangered subspecies has called the same institution home for over two decades. Halima entered the world on February 17, 1997, born to parents Huerfanita and Timmy within the Wildlife Conservation Society’s gorilla program.

Captive breeding programs like the one that produced her represent crucial insurance populations for Gorilla gorilla gorilla. She grew up under her mother’s care, learning the complex social behaviors that define gorilla family structures. The Bronx Zoo has maintained her within their troop since birth.

Now approaching her third decade, she represents part of a generation born entirely in managed care. Her subspecies carries the IUCN’s most urgent conservation classification – Critically Endangered – making each individual in captive populations valuable for both education and potential future conservation efforts.