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MEDIA
RELEASE
August 2, 2011
CONTACT: Kyle Shepherd
502-238-5331 (Media Cell 502-744-5639)
kyle.shepherd@louisvilleky.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 Louisville
Zoo mourns loss of Timmy
Oldest Male Gorilla
in North America Passes Away
Timmy, the oldest male western lowland gorilla
in North America, passed away today at the age of 52. The average
lifespan for most male gorilla’s is early-to-mid 40s. Timmy had
experienced chronic medical problems in recent years including heart
disease (cardiomyopathy), heart arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation) and
chronic osteoarthritis. He had responded well to treatment of these
conditions for several months, but he began to decline in recent weeks.
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed did not improve his
condition. Specialists in cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, and
geriatric medicine were consulted for his care. Because of his rapidly
deteriorating condition, the Louisville Zoo veterinary staff chose to
humanely euthanize Timmy.
“This is the most difficult decision zoo
professionals have to make,” said Dr. Roy Burns, the Zoo’s veterinarian.
“But we are confident that we made the right one.“
Born in 1959, Timmy was an easy going
silverback gorilla. He was wild born in Cameroon in west central Africa
and had lived at the Cleveland Zoo since 1966 before being moved to the
Bronx Zoo in 1991 as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’
Species Survival Plan. Timmy’s transfer to the Bronx Zoo was important
because his genes were unrepresented in the managed gorilla population
and he was in a position to provide additional and stronger diversity to
future generations of gorillas. Timmy sired 13 gorillas including a rare
set of twins. He was moved to the Louisville Zoo in 2004 where he was a
popular resident of the Zoo’s award-winning Gorilla Forest. Across three
communities he was a great ambassador for his species, well loved and
admired by visitors from around the country.
Gorilla Forest is now home to ten western
lowland gorillas – Bengati, Cecil, Demba, Helen, Jelani, Kicho, Kweli,
Mia Moja, Mshindi and Paki. Two pygmy hippos also call Gorilla Forest
home – Hope and Maji Kitoto; four patas monkeys are also managed there –
Mojo, Cassie, Ripley and Acacia.
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The
Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky,
is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by
providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for
visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation
education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of
Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
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