‘Gentle giant’ of a gorilla unexpectedly dies at San Diego Zoo. ‘Deep sorrow’

A 30-year-old gorilla known for his “patience and steadiness” died unexpectedly at a California zoo, zookeepers said.

Maka, a Western Iowland gorilla, “was diagnosed with chromosomal abnormalities” at age 5 but lived with “grace and vitality for decades” before recently experiencing seizures, according to an Aug. 19 Facebook post by the San Diego Zoo.

Team members began closely monitoring Maka but during an exam, he “experienced a cardiac event,” resulting in the zoo losing their “gentle giant,” zookeepers said.

Maka was born at the San Diego Zoo and was “truly the heart of our bachelor troop,” zookeepers said.

Maka led his younger brothers, Ekuba and Denny, and took on a “role of mentor and earned their respect and devotion,” zookeepers said.

Zookeepers let Maka’s brothers be with him after he died, “a poignant moment that reminded us once again that connection and loss are universal languages we all share,“ officials said.

“Maka’s legacy lives on through the conservation work he helped advance and the countless guests who came to understand the intelligence and gentleness of Western lowland gorillas through knowing him,” zookeepers said. “His quiet leadership and enduring spirit will always be remembered.”

This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 12:13 PM with the headline "‘Gentle giant’ of a gorilla unexpectedly dies at San Diego Zoo. ‘Deep sorrow’."