The staff at Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo is deeply saddened to share that Kitombe, a male western lowland gorilla, has passed away.

Following a rapid decline in his health yesterday, the decision was made to perform a comprehensive exam today to try and determine the cause of his recent health issues, which included a chronic cough, loss of weight and muscle mass, increased lethargy and trembling. While Kitombe, affectionately known as Kit, had responded positively to antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, the worsening of his condition necessitated the exam to better identify the cause of his current ailments and what, if any, options there were for treatment. After assessing Kit’s condition, including chest radiographs, routine blood tests, urinalysis, echocardiogram by a consulting veterinary cardiologist, and electromyograms by a consulting veterinary neurologist, the decision was made to humanely euthanize him due to his poor prognosis and serious quality of life concerns.

At 38 years old, Kit was a geriatric male gorilla. In addition to his more recent health issues, he had also long been treated for glaucoma as well as heart disease – both of which were managed by medication.

“We are devastated to share the news of Kit’s passing. He has been part of our zoo family for more than 25 years, and will be deeply missed by the staff who has cared for him for so many years. He was an incredible father to his five offspring with his mate Kiki, and it was a joy to watch his gentle interactions with them,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO. “The animal care and veterinary teams take extraordinary care of our geriatric animals to ensure that they enjoy a healthy and comfortable life as they age. We hope that people will keep Kit’s care team in their thoughts during this sad time.”

Kit’s care team described him as a great dad who was very gentle, as well as a good leader for the troop. He is fondly remembered as a great nest builder, building big, beautiful nests. He was also able to clearly communicate his likes and dislikes with his care team, and was very particular about some of his food. For the past several years, Kit was treated for glaucoma, which required five daily eye drops. Through his training program, Kit was very cooperative to receiving his daily eye drops, which speaks to the trust and strong bond he had with his care team.

Kit, who had resided at Franklin Park Zoo since 1998, was one of six gorillas at the Zoo. He and his mate Kiki, produced five offspring, including Kambiri, Aziza and Pablo who also reside at Franklin Park Zoo. Their oldest two reside at other zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums per recommendations by the SSP.

Zoo New England (ZNE) has been a longtime supporter of gorilla conservation, devoting passion, expertise and resources to the preservation of this iconic species. ZNE is an active participant in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is a cooperative, inter-zoo program coordinated nationally through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). SSPs help to ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered, and enhance conservation of these species in the wild.

Western lowland gorillas are considered critically endangered in the wild. Western gorillas, found in the countries of Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Angola, and Central African Republic, are divided into the Cross River and western lowland subspecies. Both are considered critically endangered. Threats to gorillas vary geographically and western gorillas are primarily threatened by disease and the bushmeat trade.