Born on December 22, 1956 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the oldest living gorilla in the whole of USA, Colo, has passed away. She is a mother, grand-mother and great grand-mother. The world's first gorilla born in a zoo, a female named Colo (culled from her birth city of Columbus), who became the oldest known living gorilla in the United States of America, has died at age 60, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said on Tuesday.
Colo died in her sleep overnight, less than a month after her birthday, the zoo announced. She surpassed the usual life expectancy of captive gorillas by two decades.
"Colo touched the hearts of generations of people who came to see her and those that cared for her over her long lifetime," zoo president Tom Stalf said in a statement.
"She was an ambassador for gorillas and inspired people to learn more about the critically endangered species and motivated them to protect gorillas in their native habitat."
Colo had been on exhibit in view of visitors on Monday, when the zoo offered free admission for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Fond of baseball caps, the gorilla was seen in her enclosure toting around a yellow cap with a gorilla on it, given to her by the zoo team caring for her.
The zoo said the gorilla's body will be cremated and the ashes will be buried at an undisclosed location at the zoo.
Colo at 30 minutes old in December 1956 (Photo Credit: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium)
Colo was born at the zoo on December 22, 1956. She eventually became a mother of three, grandmother of 16, great-grandmother of 12 and great-great-grandmother of three.
Zoo officials said a post-mortem examination was planned to determine Colo's cause of death. The median life expectancy for female gorillas in human care is 37.5 years.
-Telegraph UK
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