Gorilla Born in Captivity at Kent Sanctuary Becomes First to Father Babies in the Wild

In an extraordinary world first, Ima, a male gorilla born in captivity at a Kent sanctuary, has become the only zoo-born male gorilla to father babies in the wild—and with two different wild-born mothers. This remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone in wildlife conservation.

**In a remarkable world first, Ima is the only zoo-born male gorilla ever to move to the jungle and father a baby with a wild-born female. In fact, he has done so twice ¿ with different mothers**

Ima was born at conservationist Damian Aspinall’s animal park in Kent and relocated to Gabon, West Africa, in 2003 when he was just 18 months old. After a year of gradual acclimatization, Ima was released into the wild in Bateke Plateau National Park, where he began his new life as a free-roaming Western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species.

**Ima pictured in a nappy at conservationist Damian Aspinall’s animal park in Kent where he was born before he was relocated to Gabon, West Africa, in 2003, aged 18 months, to begin a new life**

In 2021, conservationists spotted Ima with two wild-born females, Amvemande and Okeili, with whom he had formed his own troop after infiltrating another gorilla family. Both females have recently given birth, and conservationists are thrilled with this groundbreaking development. One of the babies, born to Okeili, has a distinctive feature—white fingertips, a rare pigmentation quirk.

**One of Ima’s babies pictured with mother Okeili in the tropical rainforests of Bateke Plateau National Park**

This is the first time a zoo-born male gorilla has successfully fathered offspring with wild-born females. Damian Aspinall, who raised Ima and oversaw his relocation to Gabon, expressed his joy, saying, “This is a big event for me as I raised Ima and escorted him to Gabon. It’s taken this long to discover the births because males like Ima tend to keep new mothers and their offspring away from other gorillas or humans to protect them.”

**Ima is pictured with his other baby and second mother Amvemande roaming through the rainforest together**

Ima’s remarkable journey from captivity to thriving in the wild and becoming a father marks a significant success in conservation efforts. His story symbolizes hope for the preservation of endangered species and the importance of rewilding projects.