King

King was a male Western Lowland Gorilla who died tragically young on May 9, 1977. He lived for only 2 years and 9 months.

Born on August 9, 1974, at Parc Zoològic de Barcelona, he was captive-born to parents Bimvili and Copito de Nieve. His father, Copito de Nieve, was the famous albino gorilla who became an icon of the Barcelona Zoo.

King spent his entire short life at his birth zoo in Barcelona. His death was caused by shigellosis, a bacterial infection that can be particularly dangerous for young primates. Though his life was brief, he represented an important part of the captive breeding efforts for Western Lowland Gorillas during the 1970s.