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Meet Ozzie, the oldest male gorilla in the world that dies at 61
Ozzie is the oldest male gorilla and the third-oldest gorilla in the world. He died at age 61 on Tuesday at Zoo Atlanta, America. T…
Ozzie is the oldest male gorilla and the third-oldest gorilla in the world. He died at age 61 on Tuesday at Zoo Atlanta, America. The Western lowland gorilla was found dead in his enclosure by his care team at the age of 61 on Tuesday.
He made zoological history in 2009 by becoming the first gorilla in the world to voluntarily take a blood pressure test.
He was the third-oldest gorilla in the world and the oldest at the zoo, the zoo said in an announcement. “Over the past 24 hours, the teams had been treating him when he presented symptoms including facial swelling, weakness, and inability to eat or drink,” reads the release. A necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
“This is a devastating loss for Zoo Atlanta. While we knew this time would come someday, that inevitability does nothing to stem the deep sadness we feel at losing a legend,” Raymond B. King, president and CEO of the zoo, said in a statement.
“Ozzie’s life’s contributions are indelible, in the generations of individuals he leaves behind in the gorilla population and in the world’s body of knowledge in the care of his species. Our thoughts are with his care team, who have lost a part of their lives and a part of their hearts.”
Ozzie is survived by four children, one granddaughter and two great-grandchildren, all of whom live at Zoo Atlanta. His legacy also includes children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren living at other accredited zoos in the U.S. and Canada.