23-year-old gorilla dies suddenly at Dallas Zoo. ‘We are all completely heartbroken’

The Dallas Zoo is in mourning after the sudden death of one of the zoo’s most beloved animals over the weekend.

Hope, a 23-year-old western lowland gorilla, died unexpectedly on Sunday, the zoo said in a Facebook post. Officials say zoo staff were monitoring Hope and several other gorillas closely because they’d been experiencing “mild gastrointestinal symptoms.”

Tests for parasites, Salmonella and other pathogens all came back negative, but a necropsy revealed Hope’s colon was “severely inflamed,” officials said. Zoo staff say they are keeping an eye on other members of the troop.

“Additional testing is pending and will hopefully give us more information about what could have caused this,” the post says. “Our dedicated team of zoologists is monitoring the family troop 24/7 for any signs of distress.”

The zoo says Saambili, Hope’s 1-and-a-half year old daughter, is “shaken” following her mom’s death, but isn’t alone in her grief.

“Gorilla family bonds are strong, and the other family members have stepped in to support and comfort her,” the post says. “She seems to be relying most heavily on her dad, Subira, who was there to comfort her immediately and has not left her side.”

Zoo officials say they are “heartbroken” and “ask that you please keep our staff and our gorilla family in your thoughts.”

Western lowland gorillas are the world’s “largest living primates,” according to the St. Louis Zoo. Females are typically five feet tall, weighing in at roughly 200 pounds. In captivity, westernlowland gorillas can live for more than 50 years, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

This story was originally published November 5, 2019 at 2:12 PM with the headline "23-year-old gorilla dies suddenly at Dallas Zoo. ‘We are all completely heartbroken’."