ASHEBORO, N.C. – A beloved gorilla who was the North Carolina Zoo’s first ever, has died.
NC Zoo's First Gorilla Dies Years Later At Brookfield Zoo
The gorilla named Ramar came to the North Carolina Zoo in July of 1974. His first keeper, Bill Parker gave him the nickname “Buddy,” which stuck.
“He loved to interact with our guests,” said keeper Chris Goldston.
“He would wait for opportunities to ‘spook’ them when they would least expect it by charging the glass while fist-cupping his chest. It was never in a way that he was trying to scare people but a friendly interaction and his special way of connecting.”
Ramar was a favorite for guests visiting the North Carolina Zoo. He grew to 440 pounds in 1993 at the age of 25.
“He was a handsome animal,” keeper Robyn Rousseau said.
“He would act like a tough guy when he needed to but could also be very sweet. I still have visitors ask me about him.”
Ramar was a western lowland gorilla and was born in Cameroon, Ramar.
He eventually left the North Carolina Zoo in 1998 after a breeding recommendation. He paired with three females at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.
Goldston said, “It was sad to see him leave, but we knew it was for the right reasons. Having been caught wild and never represented in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan meant that Ramar’s genes were valuable to the long-term survival of the species.”
Ramar had two male and one female offspring.
The gorilla outlived his life expectancy by nearly 18 years before he was euthanized due to declining health at age 50.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WFMY News 2 App: Apple Users, Android Users
