Dear Friend,
You may remember Lengui, the remarkable gorilla we shared with you during our year-end campaign. This week I have some wonderful news about her from the forests of the Republic of Congo.
The video above was recorded by a motion-sensor camera in the Lesio-Louna Reserve, where The Aspinall Foundation has spent decades returning rescued gorillas to the wild. In the footage, a female and her baby move through the forest, followed by Lengui carrying a newborn of her own.
Lenguiโs life has not been easy. She was rescued as an orphan in 1994 after her mother was caught in a poacherโs snare. Later, Lengui herself survived a snare injury to one hand, eventually losing part of her arm to amputation. Each time, dedicated caregivers and field teams helped her heal and return to the forest.
After several years out of sight, Lengui was rediscovered via a camera trap. Now, at just over 30 years old, she has been filmed with a newborn tucked into the crook of her arm.
Lenguiโs story is a powerful reminder that protecting gorillas does not end when they are released. It depends on patient, ongoing work: patrols to remove snares, cameras to monitor gorillas living wild, and field teams who safeguard the forest day after day.
The Lesio-Louna Reserve is also the place where we are now helping to plan the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary, so Lenguiโs forest is very close to our hearts. We’ll be sharing more about that next month, as we celebrate Koko’s birthday (July 4th).
Koko showed the world that gorillas are individuals, each with a personality, a history, and the capacity for deep connection. Lengui is one of those individuals. Seeing her now, living wild and carrying new life, is a moving reminder of why this work matters.
With Koko love,
Penny Patterson
President, CEO and Founder
The Gorilla Foundation / koko.org
Conservation through Communication
The Gorilla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our Federal Tax ID is: 942-38-6151
