Ozoum

A wild‑caught male western lowland gorilla, he entered the world on the first day of 1961 in Africa. His early life remained a mystery, but the records show he eventually found himself at the Yerkes Primate Center, where keepers first began to learn his habits.

On 1 June 1988, he was transferred to Zoo Atlanta, a move that would define the rest of his existence. At Atlanta he joined a troop that benefited from his calm presence, and his long lifespan allowed staff to observe a full range of gorilla development within a single individual.

He lived to the age of 61, a rare milestone for his subspecies, which the IUCN lists as Critically Endangered. When he passed away on 25 January 2022, the cause remained unknown, but his legacy endures in the knowledge gained from his decades under human care.

His story, from a wild origin to a lengthy tenure in captivity, underscores both the challenges and the opportunities of conserving western lowland gorillas in managed settings.