Kijito

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their African range. Kijito represents one of the captive-born males helping maintain genetic diversity in managed populations across North America. Born to parents Kweli and Chaka at Cincinnati Zoo in June 1995, he spent his first year learning essential behaviors from his mother.

At just over a year old, he made the move to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo in late August 1996. The transfer allowed him to join a new social group while still young enough to adapt easily to different caregivers and environments.

Nearly three decades later, he remains at Omaha as part of their western lowland gorilla population. His subspecies carries the scientific name Gorilla gorilla gorilla and holds Critically Endangered status according to the IUCN. Each captive-born gorilla like him contributes valuable genetic material to conservation breeding programs designed to maintain healthy populations in human care.