Since it first opened 24 years ago, thousands of animals have called Disney’s Animal Kingdom home but definitely some of the most impactful are the gorillas you’ll encounter on the aptly named Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. Among one of the inhabitants here is 40-year-old Gino a 400 lb. silverback.
Gino has been at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since the park opened and is the oldest gorilla at Walt Disney World Resort. Get to know Gino in this awesome video Disney’s Animal Care Team made below:
Since it was founded in 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed more than $120 million to support nonprofit organizations working with communities to save wildlife. This includes the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) located in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Though Gino has alpha-gorilla status, Disney’s Animal Care Team also sees him as a playful goofball. He engages with both the people and animals around him. He often dazzles guests by making eye-contact and interacting with children through the viewing panel. He loves being the center of attention!
That’s why Disney knew Gino would be perfect when they featured him during “The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” series on Disney+. If you haven’t seen it yet, make it part of your holiday plans!
Gino also has a very important role to play when it comes to helping Disney’s Animal Care Team develop techniques which can help gorillas that are in care around the world. He was one of the first gorillas to allow his caretakers to perform cardiac ultrasounds without anesthesia.
This is important because cardiac disease is one of the leading causes of death in gorillas. Gino’s contribution has paved the way for other gorillas to get more accurate heart readings and other procedures without anesthesia.
Gino is also the inspiration for the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP.) He has played an important role in the responsible breeding of gorillas which are endangered. He has fathered 14 offspring across seven states. These births are so important as they help contribute to a healthy and genetically diverse population of gorillas in managed care.
Gino also has a reputation for being very tolerant when it comes to family despite his age. He loves roughhousing with his sons and has allowed them to remain in the family troop for longer than is typical of a silverback. When it comes to the tinier offspring, Gino has been known to step in to protect them.
Because he raised his little ones right two of his sons have moved on to AZA accredited zoos where they were smooth introduced to another male gorilla. Tolerant behavior like this will have a lasting impact on future gorilla populations!
So why are we talking so much about Gino!? On December 30th, the gorilla will celebrate his 41st birthday. Disney is throwing him a party fit for a king complete with birthday cake. We should have more coverage of the festivities next week so keep following along with us!
And on behalf of all of us here at MickeyBlog– Happy Birthday Gino!
Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for further Disney World news and updates. We’ll be coming to you LIVE! from the theme parks throughout the holiday season!
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