POWELL, Ohio — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Friday announced a 42-year-old bonobo named Toby has passed away.
According to a release from the zoo, Toby was diagnosed with high blood pressure several years ago and it was being treated.
Toby suffered a significant stroke Wednesday afternoon and did not regain consciousness.
After emergency intensive care and consultation with specialists, the zoo said Toby would not recover and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him.
Toby was among four bonobos that arrived at the Columbus Zoo in 1990 from a zoo in Belgium. Toby was considered the second most genetically valuable male in the globally-managed bonobo population.
The zoo said Toby exceeded the median life expectancy of 31 years for male bonobos in human care by almost a decade.
Bonobos are also one of the least-known great ape species. Bonobos are listed as endangered, mainly due to habitat destruction through logging and bushmeat hunting.
Only 5,000-20,000 bonobos are estimated to be living in a very small range in the equatorial forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which makes protecting them more critical, according to the zoo.
"Toby was beloved by his Animal Care team and our guests, and he will always hold a very special place in our hearts. As one of the original founders of the Columbus Zoo’s bonobo program, Toby had a tremendous impact on the future of his species,” said Audra Meinelt, curator of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s Congo Expedition region.