Victoria

Eastern Lowland gorillas represent one of the most endangered great ape populations on the planet, with their wild relatives facing extinction in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Victoria belonged to this critically threatened subspecies, Gorilla beringei graueri, which numbers far fewer individuals than its western cousins.

Born at the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp to parents Quivu and Quisubi, she spent her entire life within the same institution. Her subspecies carries particular conservation importance — Grauer’s gorillas have suffered devastating population declines due to habitat destruction and conflict in their native range.

The IUCN lists Eastern Lowland gorillas as Critically Endangered, making every individual in managed care part of a crucial genetic safety net. Victoria’s lineage through Quivu and Quisubi represented valuable bloodlines for the species’ future.

She lived at Antwerp until May 2026, when declining health conditions led to the difficult decision to euthanize her on the 21st. Her death marked the loss of another member of this precious subspecies, whose wild population continues to face severe threats across central Africa.