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Please note: On Wednesday April 24 at Franklin Park Zoo and Thursday, April 25 at Stone Zoo, volunteers, zoo employees and local emergency responders will take part in routine animal escape exercises. While the exercise is occurring, guests have the opportunity to participate in the evacuation portion, and may be asked to move to certain areas within the Zoo for a brief period of time (not to exceed 10 minutes). These exercises are an important part of our preparedness training, and we appreciate your participation and understanding. If you have any questions about what to expect, please don't hesitate to contact us at 617-989-2000 or info@zoonewengland.org.

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Update on western lowland gorilla Gigi

Friday November 29, 2019

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to keep Gigi the gorilla and her care team in their thoughts throughout the past many months as Gigi has experienced a number of significant health issues.

Over the last few days, Gigi’s health issues have worsened and she is lethargic, has a decreased appetite and decreased mobility. All of this is concerning and we plan to conduct an exam tomorrow in the hopes of determining the cause of these recent changes.

At 47 years old, Gigi is the oldest of the gorillas living at Franklin Park Zoo and is among the oldest gorillas living within the North American population managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

In May, a CT scan revealed that Gigi has renal disease and liver and uterine tumors. Following a successful ureteral stent procedure, Gigi’s health improved. While this is the result we all hoped for, Gigi continues to have significant underlying health issues, which her dedicated care team has been closely monitoring and treating. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that she has a good quality of life and are making all decisions with her best interests in mind.

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