Nbia

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 remaining across their African range. Born at Barcelona Zoo to parents Machinda and Xebo, Nbia entered the world as part of the captive breeding efforts designed to maintain genetic diversity in this critically endangered subspecies.

His life was marked by movement between European institutions. From Barcelona, he transferred to Stuttgart’s Wilhelma Zoo in early 2004, where he spent nearly four years as part of their gorilla group. The managed care of great apes requires careful coordination between facilities, and his transfers reflected the complex logistics of maintaining healthy populations.

In December 2007, he moved to Espace Zoologique St. Martin La Plaine in France. This would be his final home. Just over four months later, on April 30, 2008, he died at the French facility.

His subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, remains one of the most threatened great apes on Earth. Each captive-born gorilla represents both hope and urgency in conservation efforts that span continents and decades.