Gus, the baby gorilla, is a marvel in his own right.
His birth was a beacon of hope for the critically endangered western lowland gorillas.
Moreover, his arrival marked a historic moment for Texas’ Fort Worth Zoo, as he was the first gorilla born there in its 107 years of existence.
The excitement surrounding Gus’s birth was palpable.
After all, who could resist the charm of a newborn, especially one as unique as Gus?
As the Fort Worth Zoo shared the news of the expected birth of a western lowland gorilla, the anticipation grew.
“Everyone loves babies. I mean, everyone with a soul loves babies. And that’s why when there is a new baby at the Fort Worth Zoo, we all get a little excited,” Schaefer AD Co. shared on their website.
The AD agency saw an opportunity to highlight the striking similarities between baby gorillas and human children, particularly in their growth and development.
Little did they know, a chance encounter between Gus and a 2-year-old toddler would provide the perfect real-life illustration for their campaign.
Young and different as they are, they already held something in common.
They love to play games.
A heartwarming photo of 5-month-old Gus and the toddler, Braylee, playing Patty Cake through a glass wall took the internet by storm.
The image of these two unlikely playmates reached every corner of the globe, and a video about their story garnered over 3.5 million views on Inside Edition’s YouTube page.
The video’s caption beautifully encapsulated the touching moment:
“These two are so cute as they press their palms together through the glass enclosure. Gus is a 5-month-old lowland gorilla with a story for the books. The animal is listed as critically endangered. He’s also the first gorilla born at the Fort Worth Zoo in its 107-year history. As Gus gets older, he likes to experience the world around him which includes encounters like this one.”
The photo captured the essence of the beauty of babies, regardless of their species.
The sight of tiny Gus, with his hands pressed against the glass, mirroring the toddler’s actions, was simply too adorable to ignore.
Gus, with his irresistible charm, has always been a much-loved figure.
The excitement around Gus began even before his birth, with a massive contest over his name.
With over 8,800 votes cast, the options were between Grover, Gus, and Mosi. Local celebrities and even TCU’s SuperFrog campaigned for their favorite names.
However, when Pittsburg State caught wind of the contest, they rallied their students to vote for Gus, their mascot’s namesake. In a surprising turn of events, Gus surged from third place to first, surpassing Mosi and Grover.
Today, Gus is all grown up.
But he still enjoys spending time with his parents, Elmo and Gracie.
His love for them remains as strong as the day he was born, and he continues to make new friends, just like he did when he was a 5-month-old.
Gus and Braylee’s interaction testify of the commonalities between humans and animals.
Learn more about Gus and his kind in the video below!
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