BROOKFIELD – JoJo, Brookfield Zoo’s 42-year-old silverback western lowland gorilla, died Sunday.
“On Sunday, July 31, JoJo went into cardiac arrest during an emergency veterinary procedure prompted by an acute illness,” Zoo officials said in a statement Monday afternoon. “JoJo was very smart and learned new behaviors quickly during husbandry training sessions. He was known for keeping order in the gorilla group by quickly breaking up squabbles and often showed his gentler and patient side when interacting with his offspring.”
The average age for a male gorilla is 32 years old.
JoJo fathered three children during his time in Brookfield. He also had a child at Louisville Zoo and at Lincoln Park Zoo.
