Joe’s Health: Joe continues to be the most amazing 44 year old gorilla I’ve ever known, and zoo folk who visit agree he looks better than any other gorilla in their 40’s (even in their 30’s). We attribute this to Joe’s good family genes as well as good diet and husbandry. The stricture in his esophagus, though, seems to be causing more regurgitation, and he started to lose weight. With expert keepers noticing every nuance of both gorillas’ behaviors and conditions, we increased Joe’s caloric intake, and his weight has stabilized at approximately 360 pounds, which is still a healthy weight for an old man gorilla.
However, as we expected, it looks like another procedure will have to be done to expand the stricture, as well as taking the opportunity to check on his serious periodontal disease. Every time you anesthetize a gorilla, it’s like playing Russian Roulette – with better odds, since we have a top vet team. Still, it’s not something we do lightly or without great discussions with Joe’s doctors. The last time we had a procedure, it seemed to help, so we’re hopeful this time it will be beneficial too. We're hoping to do another procedure on Joe just after the new year, so please continue to keep him and all his brethren in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.