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BIOGRAPHY
OF A
VERY
SPECIAL GORILLA
OTTO
Goodbye Otto, we will miss you.
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Otto is a male silverback, low land gorilla. He
is approximately 30 years old and has been at the
Chimp Farm since he was about two years old. Otto
was used to perform in the American Tourister
Luggage commercials (seen below) and was supposed to
go to a zoo originally. But when he was found to be
ill, Otto was going to be euthanized. Bob and Mae
Noell, who founded the Chimp Farm in 1954, heard
about the underweight Gorilla (only weighing 86
pounds) and went to the holding warehouse to save
him. Otto was severely crippled and very ill. Bob
and Mae took him to their
pediatrician and veterinarians and he was diagnosed
with septic arthritis and tuberculosis. Otto and Mae
were quarantined together in a small mobile home for
about 6 months while Otto was being treated with
very expensive medicine for his illness. For about 2
years the Noells spent over $200.00 a month for his
rehabilitation, but it definitely was worth it.
Today Otto is a very handsome, well loved Gorilla
who, without the love and dedication of the Noells,
would have surely died.
Otto is
an extremely gentle giant now weighing over 550
pounds. Otto loves to play with his caretakers and
especially loves water games during the summer. Some
of Otto’s favorite foods are grapes, lettuce,
celery, and peaches. He has a TV. in his bedroom and
loves football (probably because of the action, and
all of the people running around acting like
gorillas playing). Otto has also become a very
skilled finger/tongue painter, and enjoys this form
of enrichment very much. In addition to painting and
watching TV, Otto likes toothbrushes, hula hoops,
hair brushes, blankets, and baby toys.
Otto passed away on June 2nd, 2007 after a
brief illness. Otto was 42.
American Tourister
Luggage used Otto in their Magazine ads.
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