NC Zoo gorilla dies after unidentified illness

Veterinarians at the NC Zoo euthanized "Nkosi," a 21-year-old male gorilla Tuesday. Nkosi had been ill for more than a week and treatments were not helping, the zoo staff said.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, will be performed, and the zoo plans to send samples to outside laboratories to try and identify what made him so ill.

“Despite the best efforts of the zoo’s veterinary and keeper staffs working round-the-clock, by Sunday morning Nik was unable to move, eat or drink,” said Adrian Fowler, the zoo's curator of mammals.

“This is an extremely sad day for the entire zoo,” said Director Dr. David Jones. “Our gorilla family has been one of our great successes over the last few years. Nkosi was a terrific father to Bomassa and Apollo and will be very difficult to replace.”