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Meet Bakari! The new gorilla at Disney's Animal Kingdom
FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte talks with the experts at Disney's Animal Kingdom about one of its newest residents: Barkari, the next leader of the silverback gorilla troop. She learns about Bukari's personality, diet, and how his introductions with the girl gorillas are going.
WALT DISNEY WORLD, Fla. - A brand-new leader has arrived on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Meet Bakari, Disney's newest Silverback gorilla
What we know:
Bakari is a 21-year-old, 400-pound western lowland gorilla. He arrived at Disney's Animal Kingdom in July and has been slowly getting used to his new home – and new family members – over the last several weeks.
Bakari will serve as the new leader of the gorilla troop, following the death of Gino in September 2025, who led the troop for nearly 30 years.
Officials said in a July 2026 blog post that Bakari likes to stretch out and lounge with his chin resting on his hand, while keenly observing all the activity happening around him. So, next time you're on the trail, make sure to look out for Bakari.
Big goals ahead
Bakari will serve as the troop's leader, helping to shape the next generations of gorillas at Disney's Animal Kingdom, including potentially fathering some of his own.
Meeting the females
What they're saying:
Introductions to the female gorillas are moving slowly. Currently, they are in a visual and sensory introduction phase, known as a "howdy'. The gorillas can see, hear, and smell each other through mesh barriers before direct physical contact is allowed.
Leaders at Disney said the females are already "starry-eyed" and smitten with Bakari. Leaders hope to join them altogether soon.
"They can see each other, smell each other, hear each other. So they're in that process right now, and the girls are pretty smitten with him... they're a little starry-eyed. They'll come right up to the mesh because they still don't have the opportunity to touch each other. They just sit there staring in his eyes and watching him," said Dr. Natalie Mylniczenko.
Silverback gorillas are endangered
Bakari’s role goes far beyond leading the troop—he plays a vital part in protecting his entire species. Silverback gorillas are a critically endangered species. Managed care breeding programs ensure these animals thrive for generations to come.
Disney hopes Bakari will become a father soon, helping maintain strong, genetically diverse gorilla populations.
Clean bill of health
Animal health professionals at Disney recently conducted a check-up with Bakari, who received a clean bill of health.
"He weighs 400 pounds. He's extremely strong. And so he's not just going to walk up here and go through all those machines... he is under anesthesia. He's trained to receive a hand injection, and he took that extremely well," he said. "Because we have a viewing window here into our hospital, the number of kids that we're inspiring to take action around conservation or animal care is awesome," said Animal Health Director Dr. Geoff Pye.
The Source: FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte was invited to Disney's Animal Kingdom to see Bakari and to talk with some of his keepers about his personality, habitat, and the importance of having a leader for the troop.