Guy the Gorilla facts for kids
Guy the Gorilla (1946–1978) was a very famous western lowland gorilla who lived at London Zoo. Many people loved Guy, and he often appeared on TV shows about nature. Even though his exact birthday wasn't known, the zoo celebrated it every year on May 30th. He even received lots of birthday cards!
Contents
Guy's Life Story
Arriving at the Zoo
Guy arrived at London Zoo on November 5, 1947. This day is known as Guy Fawkes Night, which is how he got his name! He was just a baby, weighing only 10 kilograms (23 pounds). Guy came to London to replace the zoo's previous gorilla, Meng, who had passed away.
From Africa to London
Guy was first captured in the French Cameroons, a country in Africa. He was originally meant for the Paris Zoo. However, London Zoo traded a tiger for him, so Guy came to live in London. The Paris Zoo even sent instructions to Africa to find a suitable female gorilla to be Guy's mate.
Finding a Partner
For many years, London Zoo searched worldwide for a female gorilla for Guy. In 1969, they found Lomie, a five-year-old female who had been living at Chessington Zoo nearby. Lomie lived in the old Monkey House at London Zoo for a year before she was introduced to Guy. In 1971, when the new Ape and Monkey House, called the Michael Sobell Pavilion, opened, Guy and Lomie finally met. Sadly, after Guy had lived alone for 25 years, it was too late for them to have any babies together.
Guy's Size and Gentle Nature
Western lowland gorillas are the largest primates (a group of mammals that includes monkeys, apes, and humans) in the world. Male gorillas can weigh between 140 and 275 kilograms (300 to 600 pounds). Guy was a "silverback," which is a term for an adult male gorilla with a patch of silver hair on his back. In 1971, Guy weighed 240 kilograms (520 pounds). He stood 1.63 meters (5 feet 4 inches) tall and had an arm span of 2.7 meters (9 feet)! His upper arm was 58 centimeters (23.5 inches) around, his thighs were 70 centimeters (28 inches), and his neck was 90 centimeters (36 inches).
Even though Guy looked very strong and a bit scary, he was actually very gentle. People often saw him carefully picking up small birds that flew into his cage and examining them softly. This kind nature was a big reason why he was so popular with visitors.
Guy's Passing
Guy lived to be 31 or 32 years old. In 1978, he passed away from a heart attack during an operation to fix his teeth. His tooth decay was caused by visitors being allowed to feed him sweets.
Guy's Influence
Guy even inspired people in movies! During the making of the famous film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), actor Dan Richter studied Guy very closely. Richter played the main ape-man in the movie, and he based some of his acting and movements on Guy's behavior.
Guy's Legacy
Guy the Gorilla is still remembered today in several ways:
- A statue of Guy was created by sculptor David Wynne and put up in Crystal Palace Park in 1961.
- After Guy passed away, the Natural History Museum's head taxidermist (someone who prepares, stuffs, and mounts animal skins) worked for almost nine months to prepare Guy's skin for display. In November 1982, the re-created Guy was put on show at the Natural History Museum. Years later, he was moved to the museum's scientific study collections. However, in late 2012, Guy was returned to public display as part of the new 'Treasures' exhibition in the museum's Cadogan Gallery.
- In 1982, another bronze statue of Guy was made by William Timym. This statue is located near the main entrance of London Zoo, by the Michael Sobell Pavilion where Guy spent his last years. There is also an oil painting of Guy by Timym that hangs in the library of the Zoological Society of London, which is the charity that runs London Zoo.
