People Are Comparing This Ridiculously Photogenic Gorilla To George Clooney And We Can’t Handle It
Western lowland gorillas are the animal world’s George Clooney. Don’t believe me? Meet Shabani the gorilla, residing in Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, Japan. The Japanese call him ikemen, meaning ‘handsome guy.’ We call him a brooding, musclebound heartbreaker.
Shabani, the Western gorilla, has stolen many hearts with his athletic body type and dreamy gaze. Shabani is not one of your regular zoo animals as he spends his days flexing, staring thoughtfully into the distance, and enjoying bona fide social media fame. He’s Dutch-born, Australian-bred, now resides comfortably in your dreams. Sure, he may have two wives and at least two children already, but he’s a gorilla – they have this thing about not settling down. When he’s not too busy being Higashiyama’s official spokesman or doing ads for Japanese candies and cakes, he’s the wild company to be with.
Swipe right… Er, down, to see the handsome gorilla pictures in all the glory, and let us know if you’d go for a walk in the jungle with him.
Meet Shabani, a 19-year-old gorilla who’s been living at Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, Japan since 2007
He’s Dutch-born, Australian-bred, and 100% man
Image credits: Getty Images
People in Japan have become so charmed by him, they call him ikemen – ‘handsome guy’
Image credits: gori2gorilla
And, um… Can anyone blame them?
Image credits: Getty Images
That brooding stare, those endless eyes, the way he struts around with so much confidence…
Image credits: gori2gorilla
He’s even an entertainer!
Image credits: gori2gorilla
Shabani went globally viral back in 2015, and though he’s kept it humble, he seems to enjoy the fame
Image credits: gori2gorilla
He’s a western lowland gorilla, a critically-endangered species native to central Africa
Image credits: minty
They are often hunted for their skin and meat, or captured to be sold to zoos
Image credits: chiyu
Shabani was sent to Japan as part of a breeding program, and this hunk certainly did his part
Image credits: hapyyuka
After taking 2 lucky wives, Shabani now has 2 children, named Kiyomasi and Annie
Image credits: chibimarukoro365
Higashiyama Zoo even made him their official spokesman
Image credits: hana0723
Given his resemblance to certain famous faces, we see the appeal
Image credits: katelcunningham
Image credits: phillustrations
After teaming up with Nagoya-based department store Parco, Shabani found his true calling – modelling
Image credits: parco_nagoya
Image credits: parco_nagoya
Image credits: lilylilyelf
Would you go for a romp in the jungle with Shabani? Tell us below!
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Share on Facebook"Would you go for a romp in the Jungle with Shabani?" Whhattt??????
RIGHT?!?! Interspecies canoodling??? Its just, awkward...untoward...inappropriate...he is a handsome animal. ANIMAL!!! LOL
Load More Replies...It's oddly adorable - anything to raise attention towards animal preservation I'm totally down for
The most contemplative, expressive and photogenic ape I have ever seen. He certainly is a most majestic and beautiful animal but a "romp in the jungle with Shabani" (minus, of course, the sexual innuendo) is something I would leave to Dian Fossey, if she were still alive. I doubt I would make it back out of the jungle in one piece.
Yep. Gorillas are very dangerous animals, even though they are beautiful.
Load More Replies...I was almost disappointed when he started "dancing" or whatever that was... I was expecting him more to read a poem with a Morgan Freeman-like voice. :D
He is a very handsome gorilla! I hope he has a long and happy life, and continues to make babies with his "wives" :).
Wow, he looks more intelligent and charismatic than some people I know.
very photogenic but the poor guy has such an artificial home :'( he needs trees and other greeneries
lmao this is everything i didn't know i needed at 4 in the afternoon suffering in an empty office and unable to leave
Um...no, I wouldn't. But he is a handsome fella, for a gorilla. And he certainly seems to be a natural model. Hopefully they can put some of that talent to use to heighten awareness of the dangers threatening his species.
Didn't Japan have another beautifully handsome male gorilla, or is this the same one?
Shabani´s a cool and awsome silverback gorilla, but I wouldn´t compare him with George Clooney, then rather with Arnie Schwarzenegger or Ralph Möller, with all those muscles LOL!!!
"Would you go for a romp in the Jungle with Shabani?" Whhattt??????
RIGHT?!?! Interspecies canoodling??? Its just, awkward...untoward...inappropriate...he is a handsome animal. ANIMAL!!! LOL
Load More Replies...It's oddly adorable - anything to raise attention towards animal preservation I'm totally down for
The most contemplative, expressive and photogenic ape I have ever seen. He certainly is a most majestic and beautiful animal but a "romp in the jungle with Shabani" (minus, of course, the sexual innuendo) is something I would leave to Dian Fossey, if she were still alive. I doubt I would make it back out of the jungle in one piece.
Yep. Gorillas are very dangerous animals, even though they are beautiful.
Load More Replies...I was almost disappointed when he started "dancing" or whatever that was... I was expecting him more to read a poem with a Morgan Freeman-like voice. :D
He is a very handsome gorilla! I hope he has a long and happy life, and continues to make babies with his "wives" :).
Wow, he looks more intelligent and charismatic than some people I know.
very photogenic but the poor guy has such an artificial home :'( he needs trees and other greeneries
lmao this is everything i didn't know i needed at 4 in the afternoon suffering in an empty office and unable to leave
Um...no, I wouldn't. But he is a handsome fella, for a gorilla. And he certainly seems to be a natural model. Hopefully they can put some of that talent to use to heighten awareness of the dangers threatening his species.
Didn't Japan have another beautifully handsome male gorilla, or is this the same one?
Shabani´s a cool and awsome silverback gorilla, but I wouldn´t compare him with George Clooney, then rather with Arnie Schwarzenegger or Ralph Möller, with all those muscles LOL!!!
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