JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two brother bonobos, Jumanji and Jenga, died at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens after suffering from Shigella, a bacterial infection that’s affecting apes at the zoo.
The deaths of Jumanji and Jenga were announced Monday, four days after zoo officials informed the public of the death of Bulera, a 35-year-old female western lowland gorilla, who also died due to Shigella.
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The zoo said Jumanji was born in 1996 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and was moved to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens with his parents and sister in 2008.
“He was a sweet and gentle soul, a laid-back kind of guy who was friendly to all other bonobos,” the zoo wrote in a Facebook post.
According to the zoo, male bonobos remain with their mothers for life and rely heavily on them for protection and social status. However, Jumanji’s mother died in 2018 and Jumanji “sweetly supported” his younger brother, Jenga, with the adjustment.
Jenga was born in 2011 at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens and was described as a “goofball that loved to play with others and cause a little mischief, but always put a smile on people’s faces.”
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The zoo said the brothers had existing heart conditions, which made them more vulnerable to Shigella.
Shigella, which causes intestinal issues, is highly contagious and has affected other apes at the zoo, leading to extensive care efforts by the zoo’s teams, the zoo said. The zoo said it is taking all necessary precautions to prevent further spread of the infection.
“As difficult as it is to lose Jumanji and Jenga, our Animal Health and Care teams remain committed to doing everything possible to help the apes recover from this infection. While many of the apes are at various stages of treatment and recovery, thanks to our team’s hard work and resilience, we’ve seen significant progress,” the zoo wrote.
You can read the full post from the zoo below.