Jade

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 left across their African range. Jade was born into this critically endangered subspecies at Espace Zoologique St. Martin La Plaine, the daughter of Hyasmina and Tam-Tam.

Captive breeding programs like the one that produced her help maintain genetic diversity for Gorilla gorilla gorilla populations in managed care. She lived within the same zoo community for over sixteen years, from her early transfer date in March 2004 through the end of her life.

Her death in November 2020 marked the end of nearly two decades at the French zoological park. Born into a species where every individual matters for conservation, she was part of the international effort to preserve western lowland gorilla genetics for future generations.