Grand Rapids zoo announces deaths of popular chimpanzee, kelp gull
The zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has announced the deaths of two popular animals among its collection.
The John Ball Zoo issued a social media post Monday that said a male chimpanzee named Sammy and a male kelp gull named Sunny were both euthanized because of health conditions.
Sammy was 47 years old and came to the John Ball Zoo in 2009 from the Kansas City Zoo. The chimpanzee had "quickly captured everyone's hearts with his curious spirit and unforgettable personality," the zoo said.
"Over the last several years, our animal care team has closely supported Sammy through a few chronic health challenges. They provided daily support to help him manage his condition, always keeping a careful watch over his health. This weekend, however, his quality of life deteriorated significantly, and the team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him."
Sunny was 42 years old and was unique in that it was one of only two kelp gulls in human care at an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-affiliated site. The other kelp gull is Max, which is also at John Ball Zoo.
"Sunny developed serious health issues affecting his movement and coordination over the last week. The team worked hard to provide treatment and comfort, but his quality of life declined to a point where humane euthanasia was the kindest choice," the zoo said.
The John Ball Zoo sees about 700,000 visitors a year at its Grand Rapids location along West Fulton Street, with over 2,000 animals cared for on site.