Legendary Paignton Zoo gorilla dies at the age of 42 after illness

Paignton Zoo has shared the sad news of the passing of Pertinax, the UK's oldest silverback gorilla, who was an impressive 42 years old. The cherished western lowland primate had been a resident at the Devon zoo for nearly thirty years, having first made his journey from Germany in 1997.

Pertinax was one of the inaugural inhabitants of the zoo's cutting-edge Ape Centre, which was officially opened by the late Prince Philip in 1998. He gained celebrity status when he featured as Hank in CBBC's mockumentary-style series, The Zoo, in 2017 and 2018.

Regular visitors to the zoo held Pertinax dear, with staff characterising him as "special" due to his "calm yet somewhat cheeky personality".

Throughout his time at Paignton Zoo, Pertinax played a paternal role to many young male gorillas, contributing to the upbringing of the current younger generation of males that joined him in 2006, and remain at the zoo today - Kiondo, Kivu and N'Dowe.

In his twilight years, he relished a well-deserved "retirement", leisurely exploring his island and savouring the enrichment provided by his keepers, with whom he had developed very close relationships. He even developed a fondness for music, as his keepers began singing to him, reports Devon Live.

Pertinax's keepers were by his side when the tough decision was made to euthanise him, as he had not been responding to treatment for an underlying illness.

A spokesperson for Paignton Zoo expressed their deep sense of loss: "We feel incredibly privileged to have cared for Pertinax for nearly three decades. He was truly one-of-a-kind, and his loss will be felt deeply by our community, especially by his keepers who knew him best. We humbly ask for your support and kindness during this difficult time."