Eyare, the Calgary Zoo’s two-year-old western lowland gorilla, died during a move between spaces in a back-of-house area, the zoo announced Tuesday.
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Despite quick action by veterinary staff attempting to save her, Eyare died from her injuries — out of sight of visitors — on Tuesday, according to Colleen Baird, the zoo’s director of animal care, health and welfare.
“It is with broken hearts that we share the devastating news of the sudden passing of our beloved two-year-old female western lowland gorilla, Eyare,” Baird said at a Tuesday afternoon media availability.
An investigation will be undertaken, including a necropsy, to understand what happened and determine “any changes to processes” or infrastructure that need to be made to prevent this from happening in the future, said Baird.
The Calgary Zoo’s troop is made up of six gorillas. Western lowland gorillas are a critically endangered species.
“The gorilla team will be supporting the troop as they grieve, and we will be supporting the zoo team as they grieve in the days and weeks to come,” Baird said.
“Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is never easy, but it’s especially so when it’s unexpected,” she said.
The incident occurred in back-of-house spaces, where animals are moved, often daily — not an unusual practice, according to Baird.
“They’re moving from one location to another, off habitat. That gives us better chances to do training with them, ultrasound, vet care,” she said.
“We would like to finish our investigation before we go into more details about what happened today. We have to take some time to really look at what happened.”
Recent animal deaths at the Calgary Zoo
Tuesday’s incident is the latest in a string of tragic deaths at the Calgary Zoo in recent years.
In July, the zoo confirmed that Baffin, its seven-year-old polar bear, had drowned in the pool after being injured during rough play by eight-year-old Siku.
Emara, a female Masai giraffe, died at the Calgary Zoo in 2023 after a “tragic accident,” where evidence suggested she caught one of her horns on a cable surrounding the yard. It is believed that resulted in Emara falling against the fence and fatally breaking her neck.
Yusufu, a 20-year-old mandrill monkey, died earlier this year due to complications from a necessary surgery.
— With files from Dean Pilling and Postmedia