following a recent and rapid decline in healthKitombe, a male western lowland gorilla better known to the public as Kit, died Thursday at the age of 38, the Franklin Park Zoo announced.
“We are devastated to share the news of Kit’s death,” John Linehan, president and CEO of Zoo New England, said in a statement. statement. “He has been part of our zoo family for over 25 years and will be sorely missed by the staff who cared for him for so many years.”
The 38-year-old male gorilla was treated for a long time for glaucoma and heart disease, which are managed with medication, zoo officials said. Heart disease is one of the most important health problems affecting male gorillas in human care, and requires regular monitoring, care and examinations.