World’s oldest male gorilla dies at 61

The world’s oldest male gorilla, Ozzie has died at the age of 61.

Ozzie reportedly died of COVID-19 complications after he tested positive of the dreaded virus in 2021.

The 61-year-old gorilla was found dead at Zoo Atlanta, USA on Tuesday, January 25.

Ozzie first arrived in Atlanta in 1988, and was part of a scientific milestone when he became the first gorilla to get a blood pressure reading.

Read also: Gorilla allegedly swallows N6.8 million’ cash in Kano zoo

Though he held the title of oldest male gorilla, however, Fatou, a 64-year-old female at Berlin Zoo, Germany is still the oldest living gorilla.

At Zoo Atlanta, Ozzie is survived by 3 sons, a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter and a great-grandson. It was gathered that Ozzie’s lineage spreads across other zoos in the United States and Canada.

Below is a video of Ozzie during his 60th birthday.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now