![]() Animal care staff had taught him a wide behavioral repertoire that included accepting hand injections and presenting various body parts (shoulder, arm, hand, foot, open mouth, etc.) for treatment that assisted zoo veterinary staff in providing the highest quality of care to him. He even participated in his own healthcare. ![]() Ramar’s longevity attests to the excellent professional care he received at Brookfield Zoo. While at Brookfield, he sired his only three offspring-a son (Nadaya) with Baraka in 2001, a daughter (Kamba) with Koola in 2004, and another son (Bakari) with Binti Jua in 2005. For 13 years, he was the zoo’s dominant male gorilla (known as a silverback). He arrived at Brookfield Zoo in October 1998 on a breeding loan and quickly became a favorite among guests and staff. Ramar was then acquired by North Carolina Zoo in 1974, and spent some time at Philadelphia Zoo and Zoo Miami. In 1969, after being orphaned in the wild, he was brought to the United States and raised by a human family until he was about 6 years old. “Even though the advancement of veterinary medicine in professional care has allowed animals in zoos to live longer than their wild counterparts, there comes a time, like in Ramar’s case, that we aren’t able to stop the progression of age-related ailments.Īt age 50, Ramar was the oldest animal at Brookfield Zoo and the sixth oldest western lowland gorilla (he was the second oldest male) in the North American accredited zoo population. “For several years now, we have been able to intervene and manage Ramar’s chronic conditions that have allowed him to live comfortably with little to no pain,”” said Bill Zeigler, senior vice president of animal care for CZS. The combination of these issues and recent struggles made it clear that Ramar’s comfort was declining. Though as he grew older, similar to humans that live to advanced ages, he was afflicted with a number of geriatric ailments, including degenerative heart disease and degenerative arthritis. Ramar outlived the median life expectancy for male gorillas in the accredited North American zoo population, which is 32 years. Based on his quality of life, staff made the very difficult conclusion that euthanasia was the most humane decision for Ramar. However, during his recovery, Ramar’s overall comfort became a major consideration. Veterinary and animal care staff were able to help manage Ramar through this concern. During the exam, it was revealed that Ramar had a partial blockage of his bowel and stomach with plant material from his normal diet. He was experiencing diminished bowel function, which is a common challenge in geriatric patients. Veterinary staff performed a complete evaluation on Ramar, including a CT scan, ultrasound, and endoscopy. A few weeks ago animal care staff reported that he was not eating. The Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) is sad to announce the loss of Ramar, a 50-year-old western lowland gorilla today, April 12. ![]()
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