Overview
- Disney said Monday that Bakari, a 21-year-old western lowland gorilla, has completed his post-arrival acclimation and is now appearing for guests on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
- Bakari arrived from the Saint Louis Zoo after living in a bachelor troop and was recommended for the move by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
- His public debut completes a planned leadership succession for the troop after longtime silverback Gino died in September 2025.
- Guest sightings are not guaranteed because the troop chooses its own movements and Disney closed parts of the habitat during Bakari’s acclimation to prioritize animal welfare.
- The transfer is intended to support long-term conservation goals by keeping managed populations genetically healthy and by giving visitors a chance to learn about threats to wild western lowland gorillas such as habitat loss, poaching, and disease.