Max the gorilla

RELATED LINKS: Joburg Zoo celebrates 100 years A haven for endangered and exotic animals, a venue for musical concerts, or a pleasant park for a family picnic, the Johannesburg Zoo has served the residents of the city for 100 years. Read more Johannesburg Zoo The zoo is one of the treasures of Johannesburg, a wonderful source of enjoyment and relaxation for locals and foreign visitors alike. Read more Hopes for a baby gorilla at Joburg Zoo Johannesburg Zoo has announced its intention to breed a baby gorilla using artificial insemination. Read more Supporting the animals While the core business of the Johannesburg Zoo has been the accommodation, enrichment, husbandry and medical care of wild animals, the City's corporatised entity looks set to expand its core business to incorporate activities related to the entertainment and tourism markets. Read more

Sorrow as Max the gorilla dies May 5, 2004 By Bontle Moeng MAX the Gorilla - best known for his crime-fighting activities when he took on a gun-welding attacker back in his cage in Johannesburg Zoo in 1997 - is dead. The body of the zoo's most famous resident was found by one of the zookeepers early on Wednesday, 5 May. "It is with great sadness that the Johannesburg Zoo announces the death of Max, the famous crime-fighting gorilla. The death of Max is a great loss to the zoo and he will be sorely missed. A post-mortem will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death and the results will be made known within due course," said Elmarie Loubser, marketing manager for the Johannesburg Zoo. The 250kg primate became a household name in 1997 when a criminal on the run from the police entered the gorilla's enclosure in an effort to escape pursuit and was attacked by Max, who interpreted his presence as a threat to mate Lisa. The man shot Max twice, but not before the primate had done some damage. Both the attacker and gorilla were hospitalised after the encounter. Max, who came from the Frankfort Zoo, Germany, in the 1970s, celebrated his 33rd birthday on 6 March. Gorillas give birth every three to four years and the chances of adding to the zoo's gorilla population have been slim, according to primate curator Philip Cronje, so zookeepers have often tried to establish a breeding programme with the lowland gorilla. The most recent attempt was with Lisa - who is on loan from the Moscow Zoo - but it proved futile. Although gorillas originate from Africa, there were only four in African zoos - two in Johannesburg (including Max), one in Pretoria and one in Cairo. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page Send an online postcard E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za