JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens officials announced Wednesday their apes are doing well following a Shigella outbreak that killed four primates in August and September.
The Shigella outbreak was announced in late August when the zoo shared the unexpected death of a 35-year-old gorilla, named Bulera, who died due to the bacterial infection.
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Then, four days later, the zoo announced the death of two brother bonobos, Jumanji and Jenga, after suffering from the same infection.
On Sept. 12, the zoo announced the death of a 3-year-old gorilla named Kevin, who also died from the illness.
After Kevin’s death, officials said the zoo had 17 apes remaining in their population. No more deaths were announced after Kevin’s.
On Wednesday, the zoo shared a post on Facebook with some much-needed good news regarding the apes’ health.
“We’re happy to share that the apes have been doing well!” the zoo wrote.
Officials said Animal Health and Care teams have been closely monitoring their health and that they remain “cautiously optimistic” about their status regarding Shigella.
The zoo also thanked the community for their support during this time.