Beloved gorilla at Lincoln Park Zoo euthanized due to health complications
Bana, a 29-year-old western lowland gorilla at Lincoln Park Zoo, has died.
CHICAGO -
The Lincoln Park Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its own this week.
Bana, a 29-year-old female western lowland gorilla, was euthanized March 26 after being diagnosed with congestive cardiac failure and bronchopneumonia and not being able to fully recover.
After she was diagnosed on March 8 and March 15, zoo staff ensured that Bana was taking her medication to help improve her heart's function. However, her health wasn't able to improve.
"Bana has left an undeniable mark on the hearts of zoo staff, volunteers, and visitors, and played an important role in her own troop," said Curator of Primates Jill Moyse. "Bana was not only a great mother, but she was very tolerant of her youngsters and other youngsters in the group playing on top of her. She loved spending time in the outside yard and sometimes could be seen foraging out there by herself."
Bana was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago in 1995 before coming to Lincoln Park in 2010, according to the zoo.
She was the dominant female in the family gorilla troop at the zoo.
The troop is led by Kwan, a silverback gorilla, and her son Djeke. Other troop members include Rollie and her son Mondika, Bahati and her daughter Bella, the zoo says.
"The troop was able to visit with Bana after her passing as they would naturally do in the wild," the zoo said.
Zoo staff will continue to monitor the troop's behavior in the next couple of weeks.
To learn more about the gorilla troop at Lincoln Park Zoo, follow this link.