Zola, a 23-year-old western lowland gorilla whose pool ‘breakdancing’ videos made him an internet fixture, died Wednesday at the Dallas Zoo. Zoo veterinary and animal care teams euthanized him after a rapid decline marked by lethargy, reduced appetite, and other signs of discomfort, and staff were unable to get him breathing on his own despite resuscitation efforts. A full necropsy is underway, and plans to relocate the bachelor gorilla troop to San Antonio are temporarily on hold.
As reported by CultureMap Dallas, the zoo announced the death yesterday, noting that staff provided fluids, antibiotics, and diagnostics before the decision to euthanize. “Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to begin breathing on his own afterward, despite the extraordinary efforts of our…..