Vana

The first day of the year, a little gorilla named Vana arrived in Wuppertal. She spent just five days in that city before heading to Wilhelma, where she grew up under the watchful eyes of her mother Grace and father Vimoto. Four years later, her family joined Dublin Zoo, a move that brought her into a new environment and a larger troop. Over the past eight years, she has become a familiar face to visitors and a steady presence in her enclosure.

As a female western lowland gorilla, she represents a subspecies that the IUCN lists as Critically Endangered. Her life in captivity helps maintain genetic diversity and provides a living example for conservation education. Keepers at Dublin Zoo have noted her calm demeanor and her ease of interacting with visitors, which makes her a valuable ambassador for her species.

Vana’s age—14 years—places her in the prime of her life for a western lowland gorilla. She has spent the majority of that time at Dublin Zoo, where she enjoys a varied diet and enrichment activities designed to mimic natural foraging. Her story continues to be told through daily care and gentle storytelling to guests who come to learn about the challenges facing gorillas in the wild.