SOUTH AFRICA: MAX THE GORILLA DIES

Record ID: 459367

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: MAX THE GORILLA DIES
  • Date: 6th May 2004
  • Summary: (L!2)JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 5, 2004) (REUTERS) EMPTY TYRE USUALLY USED FOR EXERCISE BY MAX THE GORILLA SWING STANDING STILL IN GORILLA CAGE EMPTY GORILLA ENCLOSURE SPECTATOR AREA FOR MAX'S ENCLOSURE BOARD WITH INFORMATION ON MAX THE GORILLA MAN LOOKING AT BOARD CEO OF THE JOHANNESBURG ZOO, JENNIFER GRAY, SPEAKING WITH ASSISTANT SIGN FOR GORILLA ENCLOSURE
  • Embargoed: 21st May 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9MQKKD74NSNRYL6ACS93M8ZWP
  • Story Text: Max, the crime-busting gorilla who shot to fame after tackling a robber in his cage at Johannesburg zoo, has died.
    It's all quiet in the enclosure of the gorilla who became a cult figure in South Africa.
    Max, the Lowland Gorilla, rose to international fame after he was shot by a robber on the run in 1997, at the height of a crime wave in South Africa's economic capital.
    Max, a 200 kg (440 pound) giant, became an overnight celebrity in South Africa and a top international story after he was wounded by a terrified gunman who made the mistake of jumping a moat into his zoo enclosure while fleeing police.
    "I think the high levels of crime and violence were always hot news stories, so to have an incident where a Lowland Gorilla in Johannesburg Zoo, such a charismatic creature, was involved in an incident, it really captured people's imaginations as a creature standing up against crime. I think in addition, Max is such a gentle sole, he was a very caring, gentle kind of giant and really touched a lot of people very deeply," said CEO of Johannesburg Zoo Jennifer Gray.
    Max's death was a far quieter affair. The Johannesburg Zoo announced on Wednesday (May 5) the popular ape died in his sleep. He was 33.
    Johannesburg Zoo CEO, Jennifer Gray, said zoo staff and Max's sponsors were "shattered" at the news.
    "Max was a very valuable, charismatic member of the zoo community and he's been with us for a long time. Everyone's very fond of him. Personally, yes quite shattered, devastated. We've got very attached to Max, he's an incredible personality for the zoo and we're quite sad at his passing," Gray said.
    After Max became a hero in a city blighted by violent crime, police used him as a "mascot" in crime prevention programmes. Recently, he had taken a slightly lower profile.
    But for the young visitors to the Johannesburg Zoo, for whom Max was a more legend than mascot, the crime-fighting ape will no doubt be remembered for some time to come.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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