Disney’s Animal Kingdom just replaced its 30-year gorilla leader, and here’s how they picked the next one

Replacing a leader who held his position for nearly 30 years isn’t simple, even in the animal kingdom. When Gino, the longtime leader of Disney’s Animal Kingdom gorilla troop, died in 2025 at age 44, the park turned to a national conservation programme to find his successor.

That successor is Bakari, a 21-year-old western lowland gorilla who arrived from the Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for western lowland gorillas. Under the programme, zoos coordinate the movement of animals between facilities to support breeding and maintain genetic diversity within the species, Fox 35 reported.

Disney’s animal care experts spent time helping Bakari adjust to his new surroundings before introducing him to the public. He officially made his debut at the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail on June 30, and guests visiting Animal Kingdom can now watch him settle into his role as the troop’s new leader.

Gino’s legacy at the park ran deep. Disney said he had “touched countless lives at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with his playful spirit, gentle humour, and steady presence as a devoted father and troop leader,” and credited him with 14 offspring along with broader contributions to gorilla care and conservation efforts during his time at the park.