The San Francisco Zoo is mourning the loss of a 39-year-old female gorilla named Zura, who was known for her distinctive face and “one-of-a-kind personality,” zoo officials said in a statement Friday.
Zura was a Western Iowland gorilla who was the granddaughter of Columbus Zoo’s well-known Colo, the first gorilla born under human care. Zura arrived at the San Francisco Zoo in 1982, where she was a beloved fixture for many generations of families, zoo officials said.
The zoo said that Zura did not have any offspring, but was often affectionate with other offspring in the troop. She was known for her tough and sassy attitude and got along well with the other gorillas.
Zura had been treated for long-term digestive issues with specialized treatment, but unfortunately her condition worsened, the zoo said.
“As one of our older females, she lived among different generations of our gorilla troop, from the great silverback, ‘Bwana’ to our gentle, contemplative silverback, ‘OJ’. She will be missed by all of us,” said Tanya M. Peterson, CEO and executive director of the San Francisco Zoological Society.
