Skip to content

Toronto Zoo says its beloved and iconic silverback gorilla has died

d4d4aff8fc4df5b4d5ccd820dcb21e015c9ac98f022a3d9caed9339bc9569a3a
The Toronto Zoo says Charles, a 52-year-old silverback gorilla who had shown signs of deteriorating health recently, passed away on Tuesday. Charles picks a piece of fruit from the "Nassir" station on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 at the Toronto Zoo in Toronto. The zoo set up piles of fruit at stations with five different name choices, deciding whichever fruit pile the dad ate from first would be the baby's name. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

The Toronto Zoo says Charles, a 52-year-old silverback gorilla who had shown signs of deteriorating health, died on Tuesday.

The zoo says Charles died from natural causes after staff noticed he was slower than usual and breathing quicker and harder at the end of last week.

It says the gorilla was diagnosed with heart failure and placed on cardiac medication.

The zoo says Charles was recovering after he was put under treatment over the weekend, but he deteriorated suddenly and quickly on Tuesday afternoon.

Charles was brought to the Toronto Zoo 50 years ago when he was two.

At 52, he outlived other western lowland gorillas who normally live between 30 and 40 years of age when they are in the wild.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press


Looking for National News?

VillageReport.ca viewed on a mobile phone

Check out Village Report - the news that matters most to Canada, updated throughout the day.  Or, subscribe to Village Report's free daily newsletter: a compilation of the news you need to know, sent to your inbox at 6AM.

Subscribe