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Winston, a favorite attraction at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, has died at the age of 52 after suffering multiple health problems, officials said.
The park said Winston was euthanized Saturday after veterinarians determined his condition was declining.
“After careful consideration stemming from furthering complications from his worsening conditions, and with Winston’s quality of life top of mind, wildlife health and care teams made the difficult decision to compassionately euthanize him,” the zoo said in a statement.
Winston, a western lowland silverback gorilla, was one of the oldest male gorillas in a US zoo.
“This gentle giant will be remembered for his quiet strength, easygoing nature, and heart of gold,” the zoo statement said.
In recent years, Winston had been treated for a variety of “age-related conditions,” including heart disease, degenerative joint disease and kidney disease, officials said. In April 2017, cardiologists found signs that the animal’s heart was not functioning at a normal level.
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for zoo-housed great apes, accounting for 41 percent of adult gorilla deaths in North American zoos.
The gorilla was born in the wild and later came under the care of a private owner in England. Since coming to the San Diego safari park in 1984, Winston fathered nine offspring and was the grandfather to eight and great-grandfather to one.
According to a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance article titled Wonderful Winston: A truly great ape, Winston was “polite” and generally accepting of most people and other gorillas. He loved prunes, but hated honeydew melon and being wet, the article continued.
“If the ground in the habitat is wet from rain or heavy fog, he’ll use cardboard if we’ve put some out, so he can sit on something dry,” said Peggy Sexton, then the lead mammal keeper. The author thought Winston’s aversion to rainwater was peculiar, considering “Winston was raised from a baby in England, and (one would think) should be used to damp conditions.”
The gorillas are native to the Congo Basin, specifically Gabon, Central Africa Republic, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Congo. However, they are likely extinct in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the Smithsonian. They are broadly considered to be critically endangered.
In the wild, the Ebola virus and poaching are two of the leading causes of death for the species. The Minkébé Forest in Gabon has lost about 90 percent of the region’s gorillas and chimpanzees to Ebola.
Gorilla watchers expressed their condolences to the zookeepers who took care of Winston once his death was announced on social media.
“He was such a handsome, regal boy,” one commenter wrote. “Sending so much love and support to his care team and all who loved him.”
Another said: “I was just at the safari park on Tuesday and watched him drag his blanket around. So sad to see that he’s gone and feel bad for everyone that was in his life.”
