Guy the Gorilla

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Guy the Gorilla was a large African lowland gorilla who lived in London Zoo.

He was brought to the zoo on Guy Fawkes Night 1947, hence his name. He was quite young, and he held a small tin hot-water bottle. Guy was the replacement for the zoo's previous gorilla, Meng, who died in 1941.

Guy was captured in the French Cameroons on behalf of Paris Zoo and was traded for a tiger from Calcutta Zoo. It was organised that London Zoo would have Guy and the Paris Zoo Director sent instructions to their game department in West Africa to find a suitable female to mate with him.

London sent a request to a variety of animal dealers and zoos worldwide to find a mate and eventually in 1969 the zoo was offered Lomie, a five year old female who had been living in nearby Chessington Zoo. She lived in the old Monkey House in London Zoo for a year before being introduced to Guy. When the new Ape and Monkey House, the Michael Sobell Pavilion, was opened in 1971, Guy and Lomie were finally introduced. They never bore young.

When small birds flew into his cage, he reportedly lifted them up on his hands and examined them carefully and fondly.

Guy died in 1978 of a heart attack and is commemorated by a 1982 statue in the zoo by William Tymym, This is located near the main entrance by the Michael Sobell Pavillion for Monkeys and Apes where Guy spend his final years.

He is still one of London Zoo's most memorable former inhabitants.

[edit] See also

• London Zoo