Gorilla Known For Breaking Up Fights Dies At Brookfield Zoo

BROOKFIELD, IL – JoJo, a 42-year-old male silverback western lowland gorilla, died at Brookfield Zoo on Sunday. He lived at the zoo for the last decade.

According to a post on the zoo's Facebook page, JoJo went into cardiac arrest during an emergency veterinary procedure prompted by an acute illness.

"JoJo was very smart and learned new behaviors quickly during husbandry training sessions," the Facebook post said. "He was known for keeping order in the gorilla group by quickly breaking up squabbles and often showed his gentler and patient side when interacting with his offspring."

JoJo was considered a geriatric animal, with the median life expectancy for male gorillas in managed care at 32 years, the zoo said.

JoJo sired three offspring at Brookfield – Nora in 2013, Zachary in 2015 and Ali in 2018. He also sired an offspring in 2003 when he was at the Louisville Zoo and in 2004, a female at the Lincoln Park Zoo.