POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) – A 29-year-old bonobo died at the Columbus Zoo after suffering a stroke on March 5.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium says Unga was unable to move her right side likely due to a stroke. The Animal Health team helped to stabilize her to further evaluate her but her condition worsened, and she passed away.
“Bonobos are incredibly fascinating, and unfortunately, they are facing serious threats in their native range. There’s still much to learn about bonobos, and we are proud to share their important story with our guests and be a part of collective efforts to help protect the future of this rare and intelligent species,” said Columbus Zoo President/CEO Tom Stalf.
According to zoo officials, the full necropsy results won’t be available for several weeks, but initial findings through radiographs and a cardiac ultrasound showed that the walls of her heart were greatly thickened and the amount of pumped blood was significantly reduced. Those findings, along with her stroke, confirmed significant heart disease, which led to her sudden decline.
Unga had suffered from a stroke that affected her left side in January 2015. Zoo health officials worked with her regularly to help her regain strength.
To continue Unga’s legacy of raising importance awareness about bonobos and to inspire people to take action to help protect them, Columbus Zoo guests are encouraged to visit the bonobos and observe their fascinating behaviors. Bonobos live in a fission-fusion society, which means the size of the group (16 individuals) in a given area changes throughout the day. Sometimes, guests will see many of the bonobos together in one place (fusion), and other times, they can be observed split into small groups (fission).
The Columbus Zoo is one of only eight facilities in North America that currently house bonobos, the last ape species to be discovered.
For more information about animals, wildlife experiences, and other happenings at the Columbus Zoo, be sure to follow the Zoo’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and visit us at ColumbusZoo.org.