Zito

"You don't turn your back on family. Unless your back will save them from a falling tree."

- Zito, The Kilio Valley Fire

Zito is an adult male elephant and a member of Ma Tembo's Herd.

Appearance
Zito is a large, grey, bulky elephant with two large white tusks and a long trunk which is pale grey inside. His face contains wrinkles, and around his jet, black eyes are dark grey. Running along his back are several darker grey spots and he has a small tail with a dark grey tuf. He has four pale grey toes on his feet. His ears are pink, and his left ear contains two notches. Atop is head are three wisps of hair and some additional dark grey spots.

Personality
Not much is known about Zito, though he appears to take things very literally, as seen when Hadithi uses the quote, The higher you fly, the more they'll look up to you, where Zito points out that elephants can't fly. After Ono explains the quote in a literal sense, Zito becomes and thanks Ono whilst complimenting Hadithi, showing that he is appreciative. He also shows faith in Ma Tembo as a leader in her attempt to find water.

He is able to take a joke, much like the rest of his herd, and does not approve of those who interfere with important events. Yet Zito can also display a temper, especially when traditions are not being followed correctly.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
When Bunga starts to sing Zuka Zama, Zito can be seen offering his trunk as a skipping rope with another elephant.

The Rise of Makuu
Zito appears to watch the Mashindano. He witnesses Makuu's win over Pua.

Can't Wait to be Queen
Zito makes a brief appearance when attending Aminifu's funeral and paying his respects to him. A little bit later, he listens to Simba's final words closely and becomes shocked when the King mispronounces one of his words, claiming that he had poop on him. But just like Ma Tembo, he begins to laugh shortly after, finding amusement in the mistake.

Eye of the Beholder
After Ono injures his eye, he speeds off into the Pride Lands, desperate to prove his worth. When using his eyesight to look around, Zito is seen very briefly near the Lion Guard.

The Kupatana Celebration
Zito appears during Kupatana, showing up at the same time as a crocodile. He celebrates the event with the rest of the Pride Landers, enjoying the blossoming of the baobab fruits up until Reirei's Pack attacks everyone. During the attack, he is startled by Dogo as he chases a hedgehog but settles down once King Simba drives the jackals out. He glares at the jackals angrily until they leave the Pride Lands, and he then enjoys the rest of the celebration, eating the baobab fruits.

Fuli's New Family
He is seen as Fuli zooms by singing the song My Own Way while walking with his herd.

Follow That Hippo!
When Ono scours the skies, Zito appears in the background briefly.

The Call of the Drongo
Zito is briefly seen with an elephant calf resting at a watering hole.

Bunga and the King
Zito is seen performing at the Elephants' Concert. When Simba arrives, he listens to his family's version of Hakuna Matata.

Ono's Idol
When Hadithi the legendary eagle arrives in the Pride Lands. he offers some words of wisdom to many of the animals. His quote, 'The higher you fly, the more they'll look up to you' confuses Zito, since the advice is only helpful to birds. Ono helps explain it in a way which everyone can use, and Zito is grateful, thanking Ono and complimenting Hadithi on his wise words.

He later attends Hadithi's Royal Mud Print Ceremony and stays late enough to witness Ono's Mudprint Ceremony.

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar
Along with the other members of his herd, Zito is attacked by Janja and his clan. The Lion Guard arrive to protect them and defeat the hyenas. Later the hyenas attack again, targeting the baboons that have begun to follow the herd. Under Kion's orders, Ma Tembo and Ono lead the others to a dead end, and Kion uses the Roar to defeat Janja. With the hyenas gone, Kion questions Ma Tembo and is assured of the safety of the herd. They speak about the difficulties of the Dry Season, and Zito urges Ma Tembo to continue looking after Beshte states her safety to search for water.

When Ma Tembo finds a water source, Zito works with everyone to dig it out, and happily drinks with other Pride Landers.

Let Sleeping Crocs Lie
Zito watches the Mashindano between Kiburi and Makuu.

Rafiki's New Neighbors
In an enclosed watering hole, Zito and two hippos enjoy a drink of water. Fuli warns them away due to lightning, but Zito is hesitant to believe her due to the lack of rain. The rest of the Guard arrive to lead them to safety after explaining how dry lightning works. But before they can leave, a lightning strike sets fire to the surrounding plains. Kion asks if Zito can spray them a path out, but after he tries, he states that there's not enough water.

On Kion's command, Beshte pushes a rock over the flames, and Zito and the other animals hurry on over. They watch Kion use his Roar of the Elders to stop the flames, and Zito offers Kion his thanks. After being warned to stay away from water until the storm has subsided, the Lion Guard race away to deal with another problem.

The Ukumbusho Tradition
In Mizimu Grove, Ma Tembo is ordering her herd around in preparation for the upcoming Ukumbusho celebration, with Zito and Johari assisting her. After Ma Tembo directs Makini to some fruit to use for paints, the mandrill gets to work, only for Zito and Johari to interrupt her. An impatient Zito reminds her that they need to be painted soon, which only causes her to become more stressed.

Later, as Zito receives his paint, Makini runs out, having painted the Lion Guard prior. He becomes furious with her for the mess, causing Ma Tembo and Kion to see what all the fuss is about. When Kion questions if the sunburst is necessary, Zito is outraged by his lack of compassion for tradition. After blaming Makini for messing up, Ma Tembo manages to persuade Zito to calm down while Kion suggests that Makini finds more yellow paint. She does so and returns to finish painting Zito.

Later, having been painted, he takes part in the Ukumbusho. But when a swarm of bees arrives he panics, causing the Lion Guard to chase after him and the rest of the elephants that were in the show. He and Johari try to pass through Sehemu Pass, but they become stuck. Having learned how to stop the bees from attacking, Ma Tembo and Mtoto spray the two with dirt, removing the sunburst from their heads. He returns to Mizimu Grove, where Ma Tembo agrees with Simba to make a new tradition, which does not involve wearing the paint on their foreheads. He and the other elephants return to their positions, and the new show begins.

The Scorpion's Sting
Zito attends the Kumbuka celebration for King Simba, singing along with Rafiki to Good King Simba.

The Kilio Valley Fire
When a fire breaks out at Kilio Valley, the Lion Guard work fast to put out the flames. But the blaze suddenly reignites, leading Zito to the conclusion that the Lion Guard didn't do a good job of getting rid of the fire entirely. He is called up to help put out the flames with the Lion Guard, where he works alongside Fuli and Bunga on the fire breaks. during their escape, the herd comes into contact with the Army of Scar. Outnumbered, they are soon led out of the valley to safety by the Lion Guard, leaving the valley to Scar's army.

Zito blames the Lion Guard for the loss of Kilio Valley, but Kion insists that he can find them a place to stay in the meantime. The cub leads the herd to Ndefu Grove, where Laini at first welcomes them to stay. But when the elephants enter the grove, their large size causes them to smash into the trees, knocking Laini and her galagos to the ground. Laini hints that Kion might be able to find another place for them to stay, and he leads them to Acacia Grove, where Twiga accepts them. However, when she sees how much Zito and the other elephants eat, she turns them away. As a last resort, Kion takes the elephants to Bupu and his herd, asking him to let the elephants stay just for a while. Bupu accepts, and the elephants start to celebrate by spraying themselves with dirt, which also falls on the Sable Antelopes. This behavior is deemed unacceptable by Bupu.

It isn't long before the antelopes do just that. Although the Guard plead with the elephants to stay, Ma Tembo sees no other way. With Zito still blaming the Lion Guard for Kilio Valley's fate, the herd left. A short time later, Kion locates the herd and asks for their help with a fire in Ndefu Grove. Ma Tembo agrees, noting all Pride Landers to be family. Zito initially refuses to help, staying behind with Mtoto's Mom and the youngsters, claiming that he'd rather stay with the family that appreciates elephants. While in Ndefu Grove, a tree collapses and plummets towards Kion. Zito arrives to save him from being crushed, having finally decided that you don't turn your back on family (unless doing so will save them). Zito goes on to assist the rest of his herd in putting out the flames, saving most of Ndefu Grove.

An elated Laini asks the elephants to stay, overwhelmed by their kindness after she had rejected them. The offer is accepted and even Zito warms up to the idea of staying in the grove. The herd move in and the galagos playfully clamber over Zito's trunk, much to his surprise. It isn't long before Zito is enjoying their company.

Friends

 * Mtoto's Mom
 * Ma Tembo
 * Johari
 * Zigo
 * Kion
 * Bunga
 * Fuli
 * Ono
 * Beshte
 * Simba
 * Makini
 * Hadithi

Enemies

 * Janja
 * Cheezi
 * Chungu
 * Nne
 * Tano
 * Reirei
 * Goigoi
 * Dogo
 * Dogo's Siblings
 * Kiburi
 * Tamka
 * Nduli

Songs

 * My Own Way
 * Good King Simba

Trivia

 * Zito's model is frequently reused in the series, and he can appear multiple times in one image.