Melbourne Zoo Investigates Sudden Death of Beloved Gorilla Kimya

The unexpected passing of the 20-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla has left the zoo community and staff in mourning as vets work to determine the cause.

• Kimya, a 20-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla at Melbourne Zoo, died unexpectedly on Saturday morning, leaving staff and visitors devastated.
• Zoo veterinarians are conducting a necropsy to uncover the cause of her sudden death, which remains unknown at this time.
• Kimya arrived at Melbourne Zoo in 2013 from the Taronga Conservation Society and quickly bonded with Otana, a 24-year-old male gorilla.
• In 2015, Kimya and Otana became parents to Kanzi, the first gorilla born at Melbourne Zoo in 15 years, marking a milestone for the zoo's breeding efforts.
• Zoo staff described Kimya as intelligent, observant, and a loving mother who was a favorite among visitors and a symbol of the plight of critically endangered gorillas in the wild.

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