Can Jojo, a gorilla who spent his life alone, finally find a companion?

A life without gorilla company

Jojo first stepped onto grass in 2015. More than a decade later, he is settled at a sanctuary but still lives alone, having had no family or gorilla friends since he was taken.

He was less than a year old, clinging to his mother, when he was captured and sold. Prof Gillian Forrester of the University of Sussex, who studies Jojo and great ape recovery, calls him an extreme case of isolation.

Head keeper Maxe Anaclet Makaba says Jojo appears to seek human contact. Sanctuary director Éric Willaume says Jojo calls out when familiar women leave, using sounds associated with silverbacks summoning females in the wild.

The wider toll of trafficking

Conservationist Tony King of the Aspinall Foundation says some apes who understand the loss of their families can lose their will to live. He recalls rescued gorilla sisters Likendze and Matoko clinging together in a tight ball for about three days.

Why social bonds matter

Forrester has filmed Jojo’s face with a thermal camera to track blood flow. The images show what appears to be a persistently cold nose, which may indicate a disrupted stress response.

Forrester says companionship could help Jojo. Dr Katie Fawcett of the Grace Center says social relationships are essential for an animal to be considered for release into the wild, the keepers’ ultimate goal. She notes that gorilla social life can include simply sitting quietly together.

A companion remains uncertain

No one knows how Jojo would respond to another gorilla. Any transfer from an accredited zoo would require an international committee to assess genetics, health, personality and compatibility.