Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is mourning the death of a 40-year-old Sumatran orangutan who made his home at the St. Paul zoo for nearly three decades.
Jambu was euthanized Thursday after zoo veterinarians and specialists at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center discovered multiple liver masses consistent with cancer.
Born in 1985 at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Jambu came to Como in 1995. The zoo said he was known for his vocalizations that rang from the Primate Building, signaling his strength and dominance.
In a Sunday statement, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory director Erica Prosser said that “Jambu touched millions of people over the years, and he shaped the lives of the staff who cared for him. He was an extraordinary animal and an extraordinary teacher. Our team is grieving and we ask the community to keep them in their thoughts.”
Jambu lived with his longtime companion Markisa, a female Sumatran orangutan, and he was the father of Kemala, Jaya and Willie. Kemala continues to live at Como and shared a close bond with her father.
“He was strong, handsome, silly, and sweet-natured. He was my rock for twenty-three years,” Como primate zookeeper Megan Elder said in the zoo’s statement, which added that Elder and her colleagues will guide the care of Markisa and Kemala after Jambu’s death.
The zoo also noted that Jambu contributed to international conservation and wellness efforts, including participation in cardiac ultrasound training for the Great Ape Heart Project. Jambu far exceeded the typical lifespan of male Sumatran orangutans, longevity that Como credited to the care provided by its primate and veterinary teams.
The zoo invited the public to share their memories and condolences on Como’s Facebook page.
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