Overview

• Disney leadership announced Gino’s passing at 44 and has not disclosed a cause of death, noting he would have turned 45 in December.
• Gino was an opening-day resident in 1998 and spent nearly three decades at the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail as the troop’s silverback.
• He fathered 14 offspring under accredited breeding programs, with daughters Grace and Ada remaining in the Animal Kingdom troop.
• Animal care teams credit Gino with cooperating in cardiac ultrasounds without anesthesia, informing managed-care practices used at other facilities.
• Public remembrances from Disney’s Dr. Mark Penning and former Imagineer Joe Rohde praised his calm leadership, playful spirit, and conservation impact.