Longleat Gorilla Nico at Bristol 1991

In winter 1991 Longleat sent their Gorilla pair Nico & Samba to Bristol Zoo to try and breed them with other gorillas. The attempt failed- both animals were already thirty years old for a start while Nico was too aggressive to mix successfully with any other partner than Samba, and was soon returned to Longleat. Samba stayed longer but did not breed before she too went back home to Longleat. But at least it afforded the chance to see them in closeup.

RIP niko

Rip to an amazing animal ambassador