Yengo

Wild-caught western lowland gorillas who make it back to their natural habitat represent conservation success stories that are all too rare. Yengo was born somewhere in Africa to wild parents, part of a species that has seen devastating population declines across its range.

After spending time in managed care, he was released back to the wild in November 2016. This kind of reintroduction requires extensive preparation and monitoring, as gorillas must be able to survive independently in their natural environment.

His subspecies faces an uncertain future in the wild. Western lowland gorillas are classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 100,000 estimated to remain across the forests of central and western Africa. Habitat loss, poaching, and disease continue to threaten wild populations throughout their range.