Uzuri

Western lowland gorillas face extinction in the wild, with fewer than 100,000 left across their African range. Uzuri represents one of the captive-born males helping to maintain genetic diversity in European breeding programs. His parents, Mandji and Bongo, produced him at Apenheul Primate Park in the summer of 1994.

For twelve years, he grew up within the Apenheul troop. Captive-born gorillas like Uzuri develop under close observation from keepers who track their social development and physical maturation. The transition from juvenile to adult silverback takes place gradually over many years.

In September 2006, he moved to Safaripark Beekse Bergen, where he has lived for nearly two decades. Now approaching thirty years old, Uzuri has spent most of his adult life at Beekse Bergen. His subspecies carries the scientific name Gorilla gorilla gorilla and holds Critically Endangered status under IUCN classifications.