Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Zoo says a 41-year-old silverback gorilla named Tatu has been euthanized because of ongoing health problems.
The zoo says Tatu's health had been declining for several weeks and his appetite had decreased. Last week, the Western lowland gorilla suddenly lost the ability to use his legs, and an MRI showed compression on his spinal cord, which was caused by severe arthritis.
The zoo says a vet care team consulted with a spinal surgeon before deciding to euthanize Tatu on Saturday.
The zoo says Tatu's death is "an enormous loss." The gorilla arrived at the zoo in 1983.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
