Winston, San Diego Zoo Safari Park‘s gorilla, dies at 52

ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has announced the death of Winston, one of the oldest male gorillas in captivity. He was 52 years old.

Winston was euthanized after complications from worsening heath, zoo officials said. He died on July 13. He had been receiving treatment for several conditions related to aging including heart disease, degenerative joint disease and kidney disease.

“This gentle giant will be remembered for his quiet strength, easygoing nature, and heart of gold,” the zoo said in a statement posted to Facebook.

“Winston’s legacy includes pivotal contributions to gorilla conservation and advancements in wildlife health science. He will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance encourages everyone to share their condolences and support for Winston’s dedicated wildlife care and health team, staff, volunteers, Alliance members and guests, who are deeply affected by this loss,” KSWB reported the zoo as saying.

In 2017, medical experts, including those who treat animals and humans, had come together to assess Winston’s heart health after he was showing signs of getting older and “unusual lethargy and reduced appetite.” the zoo said.

“Winston has always been an amazingly strong primate, but older great apes—particularly male gorillas—are susceptible to heart disease, a primary cause of mortality,” the zoo’s senior veterinarian, Dr. Matt Kinney, said in December. “Given Winston’s symptoms that year, we opted for an echocardiogram. The checkup was very limited, but it allowed us to address immediate clinical concerns and establish a baseline for Winston’s cardiac care.”

The results were promising but some irregularities had been found. Winston and the rest of the zoo’s troop contracted COVID-19 in 2021.

Typically, a gorilla will live about 35 years in the wild and more than 50 years in zoos. Females reach maturity in 8 years while males take a little longer reaching adulthood at 13 years.

Females can be about 5 feet, weighing between 159 and 216 pounds, while males are bigger at 5.7 feet tall and between 300 and 400 pounds, the zoo said.

Winston was born in the wild but was under the care of a private owner in England before being moved to the San Diego Zoo in 1984. He had nine children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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