Moke

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their native range in Central Africa. At the National Zoological Park, a young male named Moke represents hope for his critically endangered subspecies. His parents, Calaya and Baraka Ya Mwelu, welcomed him in April 2018.

Captive breeding programs like the one that produced Moke help maintain genetic diversity within managed populations of Gorilla gorilla gorilla. He has spent his entire life at the National Zoological Park, growing from infant to juvenile under the care of his family group. The IUCN lists his subspecies as Critically Endangered due to habitat loss, disease, and hunting pressure across equatorial Africa.

Now six years old, Moke continues developing within his natal troop. Each captive birth matters for species survival when wild populations decline so rapidly. His presence at the National Zoological Park connects visitors to conservation efforts spanning continents.