Parry's Story — The Final Chapter

Parry in the forest after months of recovery

There are moments in this work that remind you exactly why it matters. Watching Parry walk back into the forest was one of them.

For those of you who have been following his story, you already know how long and difficult this road has been. But for anyone coming to it for the first time, here is where it all began.

A break that changed everything

Earlier this year, Parry, one of the gorillas in our care at Ape Action Africa, broke his leg. Our team acted quickly, and the original surgery went as well as could be hoped. But in the weeks that followed it became clear that his recovery was not progressing as planned. Parry had begun bearing weight on the leg too soon, disrupting the healing process and causing further damage. It was a setback that required urgent action.

Two surgeons, one mission

What happened next moved us deeply. Dr Romain Pizzi, one of the world's leading exotic wildlife veterinarians, and Dr Peter Sedman, a highly experienced surgeon, made the journey from the UK to our sanctuary in Cameroon. They brought specialist equipment with them and together carried out further surgery to reinforce Parry's leg, stabilising the injury and giving him a genuine chance at a full recovery.

The fact that two surgeons of this calibre were willing to travel to Cameroon for one gorilla says everything about the importance of this work. Every resident in our care deserves the very best, and Parry is no different.

The long road back

In the days following surgery the signs were encouraging. Parry's wound stayed closed. He began to show movement in his toes. Slowly, carefully, he started bearing weight on the leg again, this time at the right pace and under close supervision from our vet team.

Recovery from an injury like this takes time, patience, and a great deal of care. Our team gave him all three, every single day, for as long as it took.

Welcome home, Parry

And now, finally, here we are.

Parry is back in the forest. Back with his family. Back climbing, exploring, and living the life he was always meant to live. Watching him return to the trees was a moment none of us who were there will forget in a hurry.

None of this would have been possible without the support of the people who believe in what we do. The donations, the shares, the messages asking how he was getting on. Every single one of them mattered. Every single one of them helped get Parry home.

Thank you. From all of us, and from Parry. 💚

If you would like to support the care we provide to Parry and all of our residents, you can donate at apeactionafrica.org/donate