Mies

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, making every birth in managed care precious for the species’ future. Mies entered the world at Safaripark Beekse Bergen on a spring day in May 2019, daughter to mother Kisiwa and father Komale.

Captive-born gorillas like her represent hope for Gorilla gorilla gorilla, a subspecies that the IUCN lists as Critically Endangered. She has grown up within the familiar social structure of her birth troop, learning essential behaviors from her mother and the group around her.

Now five years old, Mies continues developing at Safaripark Beekse Bergen. Her species faces mounting pressure in Central and West African forests, where habitat loss and human encroachment threaten wild populations daily.