PRESS RELEASES

Toronto Zoo Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Charles, Beloved and Iconic Silverback Gorilla  

TORONTO, ON, Wednesday, October 30, 2024: Your Toronto Zoo is celebrating the life of a beloved icon, 52-year-old Western lowland silverback gorilla, Charles. Charles passed away late yesterday afternoon of natural causes after experiencing significant health issues. Charles has been a revered member of your Toronto Zoo family since opening day in 1974, and has warmed the hearts of our community for 50 years. He will be dearly missed, and his memory will continue to inspire those who knew him to continue the fight against the extinction of this incredible, critically endangered species.  

At the end of last week Wildlife Care staff first noted that Charles was not his usual self. He was quiet, had a reduced appetite, was slower than usual to get around and breathing a little quicker and harder. The Wildlife Health team made a presumptive diagnosis of heart failure, and in consultation with experts on the Great Ape Heart project, started him on cardiac medication. Over the weekend Charles rallied, his appetite returning and his interaction with his care staff improving. Yesterday morning Charles was bright and sitting up eating, but he deteriorated suddenly and quickly in the afternoon. A full post-mortem examination is underway and has already confirmed significant changes to his heart. 

Charles became an unforgettable part of a Toronto Zoo visit. With his impressive stature (weighing more than 195 kg), wise gaze and majestic silverback, Charles had a true presence – one that left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege to see him. His long life at the Zoo allowed us the unique opportunity to witness his extraordinary journey from a playful juvenile to a protective and wise leader, as he took on the role of silverback guiding his troop with grace and authority. His days were filled with moments of joy, quiet reflection, and family bonds – a testament to the complex social lives gorillas share. His steady and strong presence will be deeply missed by the entire Zoo community.

“I’m so proud of the work our team did to keep him comfortable in his final days with us” says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “After some initial signs of improvement yesterday morning Charles’ condition took a sudden turn late in the day and he passed away surrounded by those who cared for him deeply. Charles was more than an icon, he was a member of our Zoo family and a powerful ambassador for his species, and our flags will fly at half-mast to commemorate his life.”  

Charles was an orphan when he came to the Zoo from Gabon, Africa just prior to the Zoo’s opening and has become one of the most iconic Zoo residents.  He was an amazing father and grandfather to his family, even in his later years where he continued to be vigilant about protecting them and maintaining order in the troop. He proved to be an ideal example of what a silverback represents, siring over 11 offspring and being a grandfather to six, the last one named “Charlie” in his honour.

To honour his memory, we encourage the Toronto Zoo community of supporters to become Guardians of Gorillas through one of the following ways: 

🦍 Donate to the newly established Charles Memorial Fund through the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy Wilding Fund - a fund established to support endangered species conservation projects in the wild. To celebrate Charles’ 50th birthday in 2022, your Toronto Zoo announced a $250,000.00 commitment to directly support in situ conservation organizations, including sanctuaries for orphaned animals, conducting programs and projects that raise awareness of the impacts of poaching and trafficking, and support habitat restoration.  

🦍 Visit the Charles Memorial page and leave a photo or memory of Charles

🦍 Phones over flowers - Donate an old cell phone to the Zoo’s PhoneApes Program to help save gorillas in the wild, guests can drop off old cell phones by the Charles status in front of the African Rainforest pavilion

Charles played a vital role in our mission to connect people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction. His legacy includes his contributions to the future of his species through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) a collaborative conservation effort among accredited AZA zoos to ensure the survival of the Western lowland gorilla. Though we mourn his passing, we are committed to continuing his legacy as Guardians of Gorillas. Charles may have left us, but his spirit and his legacy lives on in the lives he touched and in the hearts of the millions of guests who visited the Zoo since it opened in 1974. 

Caring for Charles in his Golden Years

Animals often require some extra care and accommodation as they age, and the love and support Charles received on a daily basis from the entire Toronto Zoo team was second to none. In order to ensure Charles was healthy and comfortable in his golden years, the Welfare Science, Wildlife Health, and Wildlife Care teams were closely monitoring Charles in his geriatric years.  He has undergone regular welfare assessments, Quality of Life assessments, and daily assessments for the past two years.

These assessments allowed us to customize his care to ensure he had every opportunity to thrive. Modifications were made to both his habitat and diet. Harder root vegetables were steamed to make them soft, and his leaf eater chow was dipped in herbal tea to make them easier to chew. His preferred sleeping spot was always given thicker shavings to make sure it was extra comfy, and handrails were installed near the upper platforms to help with balance.  

Charles had a regular regime of vitamins, supplements and analgesics (to help with arthritis) mixed in with his morning ground flax porridge served with herbal tea with honey. Like many of our animals, Charles was also trained to participate in his own medical procedures through positive reinforcement to ensure we were able to regularly and easily provide excellent care which included voluntary injections, presenting body parts, checking teeth, taking his temperature, nail care and applying topical medications when needed. Our operations team even made a special ultrasound port just for him as his stiffened hips and larger belly didn’t allow him to place his chest comfortably against the mesh for cardiac ultrasounds. When needed, the Veterinary and Wildlife Care staff stayed overnight to monitor him if they suspected he was under the weather. 

Sentiments from his Wildlife Care Team

“Charles was cherished by his human caregivers and will leave a huge hole in our hearts. He was a firecracker teenager, scaring many guests. Despite his massive size, he was afraid of toads. He also wasn’t pleased when the donkey or alpacas would walk by but never had a problem with dogs. He despised tall men and saw them as rivals. He was a fierce protector of his family and always showed his tender side when a new baby was born into the troop.” 

“He had a great morning. It’s so good that he got to spend time with his Zoo family. The entire troop including the boys were able to see him and say their goodbyes. A rally of sorts, but also a fitting end. We then had a smudge ceremony to honour him.” 

“Despite being an orphan, he was an amazing father and role model for his children. He was a stable rock for his family and was rarely phased by much. He lead his family with great pride and could settle any disputes with a simple look or slight vocalization” 

“In his final moments he was surrounded by his keepers who loved him dearly” 

Western Lowland Gorillas in the Wild  

Critically Endangered Western Lowland gorillas in the wild typically live to 30 to 40 years of age. The species continues to decline at an annual rate of 2.7% mostly due to poaching for bushmeat, disease, and habitat loss and degradation. Because of poaching and disease, the gorilla’s numbers have declined by more than 60% over the last 20 to 25 years. The Toronto Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Western lowland gorilla Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program, which aims to establish and maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations, and overall conservation efforts to save this incredible species. 

What your Toronto Zoo is Doing to Help 

In 2022, your Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy selected Ape Action Africa and Gorilla Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) as the recipients of $250,000 in funding over the next 10 years to support gorilla conservation in the wild. Each year, AZA-accredited zoos contribute more than $5.5 million to gorilla conservation, and your Toronto Zoo is proud to do our part for a brighter future for these incredible animals. 

Established in 1996, Ape Action Africa works to address the immediate threats faced by gorillas and chimps in Africa and partners with local communities to develop long-term solutions to ensure their survival in the wild. They are committed to identifying areas that can be set aside as protected habitat for rescued gorillas and chimpanzees, with the hope of releasing the great apes and monkeys in their care back into the wild. They provide the rescued apes in their care with around the clock veterinary care and nourishment at their Mefou Primate Sanctuary, where they are joined by an expert team of caregivers, many of whom are local community members that have joined the fight to protect Cameroon's natural heritage.  

The Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) and Gorilla SAFE program focus the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverage their massive audiences to save species. The goal of the Gorilla SAFE program is to secure sustainable populations of all gorilla subspecies, with a targeted emphasis on protecting the fragile Cross River gorilla populations in Cameroon and Nigeria and halting the rapid decline of Grauer’s gorilla populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.