Oldest Zoo Atlanta gorilla passes at age 58

ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) – Shamba, the oldest gorilla at the Zoo Atlanta, has passed.

She was found unresponsive by her care team on Friday.

A preliminary examination revealed the cause of death to be age-related complications.

The Animal Care and Veterinary Teams made the difficult decision to euthanize her rather than jeopardize her quality of life.

Shamba was 58-years-old, making her not only the oldest gorilla at the Atlanta Zoo, but one of the oldest in the world.

Zoo Atlanta mourns passing of Shamba, its oldest gorilla, at 58: https://t.co/cnYDIKi24u pic.twitter.com/w1SkwNkT0l

— Zoo Atlanta (@ZooATL) October 27, 2017