Kejana

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their African range. Kejana represents one of the captive-born males helping to maintain genetic diversity in managed populations. His parents, Mandara and Augustus, produced him at the National Zoological Park in May 1991.

The early years of his life unfolded in Washington, D.C., where he learned essential gorilla behaviors from his mother and troop. At six years old, he made the transition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. This move in late 1997 brought him to what would become his permanent home.

More than twenty-five years have passed since his transfer to Florida. He has spent the majority of his life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, growing from a juvenile into a fully mature silverback. His subspecies carries the IUCN designation of Critically Endangered, making every captive gorilla an important part of conservation efforts.

Now in his thirties, he continues as one of the park’s most experienced great apes. His longevity in managed care reflects both advances in gorilla husbandry and the dedication of his keepers over the decades.