Beloved 35-year-old Endangered Gorilla Dies as Illness Spreads at Jacksonville Zoo

Bulera, a 35-year-old female western lowland gorilla at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, has passed away due to a bacterial infection called Shigella. The infection, which causes shigellosis, leads to symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, and dehydration. Shigella is highly contagious, and several other gorillas at the zoo are also exhibiting symptoms and undergoing treatment. The zoo has implemented strict sanitization measures and is using protective gear to prevent further spread of the infection.

Bulera was born in 1989 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and moved to Jacksonville in 2009. She was part of a three-generation gorilla troop and was a mother to two offspring, including her daughter Madini, and served as a foster mother to an infant gorilla named Gandai in 2019. The exact source of the infection remains unknown, though possibilities include asymptomatic carriers among the apes or zoo staff. The zoo continues to monitor and care for its gorilla population as they navigate this health challenge.