Ndjingala

Eastern Lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 5,000 individuals remaining in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s fragmented forests. Ndjingala was born on June 6, 2026 to wild parents, making her part of the critically endangered Grauer’s gorilla subspecies that has suffered devastating population losses over recent decades.

Her early life included time at Gorilla Doctors Goma from February 26 through April 29, before her transfer to Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, where she has remained since April 29. The facilities provided care during her development from infancy.

As a captive-born female with wild parentage, she represents important genetic diversity for her subspecies. The IUCN lists Gorilla beringei graueri as Critically Endangered, with ongoing threats from habitat destruction and human conflict continuing to pressure wild populations across eastern Congo’s mountainous regions.