Josephine

Wild-born in the forests of Gabon in 1971, Josephine belonged to one of the world’s most endangered great ape species. Western lowland gorillas face extinction in their native habitats across Central Africa, with the IUCN listing them as Critically Endangered.

She arrived at Toronto Zoo in May 1974 as a young gorilla, beginning what would become a 46-year residency. Those decades spanned nearly half a century of changes in gorilla care and conservation understanding.

By 2020, age had taken its toll. Her health declined to the point where keepers made the difficult decision to euthanize her in December of that year. She was 49 years old — an impressive lifespan for her subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, whether in captivity or the wild.