‘Spirited’ gorilla known for her ‘silly moments’ dies unexpectedly, TN zoo says

A 37-year-old gorilla was found dead during zookeepers’ routine check, a Tennessee zoo said.

On July 6, a “great ape” named Kwizera was found unresponsive in her enclosure, according to a Facebook post by the Memphis Zoo.

Kwizera died “unexpectedly” after a short illness, but a full necropsy was performed and zookeepers are awaiting the results, the zoo said.

Kwizera came to the zoo from Buffalo, New York, in 2009 and quickly became the first of the zoo’s gorilla group in more than 15 years, the zoo said.

She was known for her “clever and spirited personality,” always “expressing herself” whether that was the noises she’d make when indulging in her “favorite leafy greens” or “knocking bedding off her perch to make a point,” zookeepers said.

For the zoogoers she “trusted most,” she’d “bounce with excitement and pat her arms in greeting,” zookeepers said.

Although the “beloved” girl will be missed for her “outward personality,” zookeepers said they’ll also miss “the quiet, silly moments she shared only with those she let into her world,” the zoo said.

The loss of Kwizera was like that of losing a “colleague and dear friend,” making her death a shock to her keepers, the zoo said.

Users shared their thoughts in the comments on Kwizera with one person saying, “She was beautiful. Many special memories for us and our children of visiting her and her troop. Thinking of her keepers and caretakers as I know this is a huge loss.”

“Our beautiful sweet girl I loved watching her,” another wrote.

This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 11:54 AM with the headline "‘Spirited’ gorilla known for her ‘silly moments’ dies unexpectedly, TN zoo says."