Sacramento Zoo primate dies at 54, weeks after daughter's death

A white-handed gibbon who had called the Sacramento Zoo home since the 1970s has died.

Ewell arrived at the zoo in 1976 and went on to become the oldest male white-handed gibbon at any Association of Zoos & Aquariums institution.

Earlier in March, Ewell's daughter, Siidam, died. Zookeepers said they were already closely monitoring Ewell, but age-related decline and other factors led to the decision to humanely euthanize him.

According to the Sacramento Zoo, Ewell was euthanized on March 19. He was 54 years old.

"This is a significant loss to the zoo. Ewell, and Siidam before him, will be missed by the countless lives they touched in their time here at the Sacramento Zoo, especially those who worked with them," the zoo said in a statement.

Zookeepers noted that the average life expectancy of Ewell's species is around 40.

White-handed gibbons, native to Southeast Asia, are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.