LOS ANGELES—Evelyn, a 46-year-old western lowland gorilla and the oldest gorilla in the history of the Los Angeles Zoo, has been euthanized after “experiencing health issues leading to a decline in her quality of life over the last couple of weeks,” the zoo announced Dec. 7.
“We are heartbroken to share that animal care and veterinary staff made the difficult decision to euthanize” the gorilla, zoo officials announced on Twitter.
Evelyn was an LA native, having been born at the zoo in 1976.
Evelyn has been a fixture of the Los Angeles Zoo’s gorilla troop since she was born there in 1976. (Courtesy of the Los Angeles Zoo)
While western lowland gorillas can live 30 to 40 years in the wild, the zoo attributed Evelyn’s longevity to “the incredible care provided to her by our animal care and veterinary teams.”…