Sadness over the death of Gigi
Franklin Park Zoo’s oldest gorilla was in failing health
Gigi, the 47-year-old western lowland gorilla who was the matriarch of the clan at the Franklin Park Zoo, was euthanized Saturday after a poor prognosis with multiple health issues, zoo officials said, news that saddened staff and visitors.
“I think it’s terribly sad,” Anne Rounseville, 65, of Brookline, said Sunday at the Tropical Rainforest exhibit.
“And I was very curious about what the other gorillas’ reactions were and found out they actually hadn’t seen her for a while.”
A statement from the zoo Sunday said Gigi’s condition worsened in the past few days, as she was lethargic, had a decreased appetite and decreased mobility, and officials made the decision to humanely euthanize her for quality of life concerns after an exam Saturday morning.
“She was part of the zoo family for nearly 40 years, and will be incredibly missed by the staff who has cared for her for so many years,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO.
Gigi, the oldest gorilla at the Franklin Park Zoo and among the oldest gorillas in the North American zoo population, was born at the Cincinnati Zoo on July 13, 1972, and was moved to Stone Zoo in 1980. She gave birth to two males before being moved to the Franklin Park Zoo’s new Tropical Forest Pavilion in 1989.
“Amazing she’s been here for so long,” said Rounseville, a zoo member who visits monthly. “It was fun to read different stories about her, the grandkids she used to carry on her back.”
The zoo said Gigi grew into a grandmother-type figure for unrelated gorillas in the Tropical Forest, taking care of two sisters born in the past 10 years at the Franklin Park Zoo. Gigi was also frequently spotted in the exhibit with her stuffed purple monkey with banana print.
In the past seven months, Gigi spent a lot of time under staff care, undergoing a successful ureteral stent procedure in May to improve her quality of life, the zoo said.
Erica Farrell, the Tropical Forest’s assistant curator, reflected on Gigi’s playful behavior in a statement.
“If Gigi really liked you, she would turn her back and sit next to you at the exhibit glass — checking every so often to make sure you were still there,” Farrell said. “She played an integral role in our gorilla troop and has a special place in all of her caretaker’s hearts. We are all going to miss her.”