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Walt Disney World is mourning the death of Gino the gorilla, a mainstay of the Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida. The primate was a member of the critically endangered western lowland gorilla species and had lived at Animal Kingdom since opening day in 1998.
“We are heartbroken to share the passing of Gino, our beloved 44-year-old western lowland gorilla,” Dr. Mark Penning, vice president of Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment division, wrote in an emotional tribute Wednesday on Instagram.
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“For nearly 30 years, Gino touched countless lives at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with his playful spirit, gentle humor, and steady presence as a devoted father and troop leader,” continued Penning, who has been vice president of the department since 2012.
Animal Kingdom opened its doors on April 22, 1998, to coincide with Earth Day, an annual global celebration promoting environmental protection and sustainability. Gino was not only an original inhabitant but also a 400-pound standout at the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
The muscular primate reportedly beat his chest on a regular basis as visitors walked by.
“Everybody takes notice — his family, our guests, our cast and it’s really quite spectacular,” Dr. Scott Terrell, director of Animal and Science Operations at The Walt Disney Co., told The Orlando Sentinel in 2021. “It’s natural gorilla behavior. He’s just very good at it.”
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Penning noted Wednesday that “Gino leaves behind an incredible legacy,” having fathered 14 offspring to contribute to the conservation of his species. The veterinarian said Gino also gave every staffer and guest inspiring, “lasting memories.”
Gino was the oldest animal at the park. Despite his age, he willingly participated in a program where gorillas help with their own medical care — by posing in cooperation for examinations rather than requiring sedation.
These checkups included sonograms and blood pressure exams, per the Sentinel.
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Western lowland gorillas could certainly use this kind of help, as the nonaggressive species continues to be threatened by poachers and disease. The population has declined over the past two to three decades by more than 60%, according to the Smithsonian.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature changed their official status from “endangered” to “critically endangered” in 2007 after learning just how much the poaching and logging industries, as well as the Ebola virus, had devastated the population.
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“Though he would have turned 45 this December, Gino’s story will live on in the future of his species and in the hearts of all who knew and loved him,” Penning wrote Wednesday in his tribute. “Thank you, Gino. You will always be part of our family.”