Ozoum, commonly referred to as Ozzie ( – January 25, 2022), was an African-born

western lowland gorilla The western lowland gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') that lives in Montane ecosystems#Montane forests, montane, Old-growth forest, primary and sec ...

(''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') who was a subject of research at the

Yerkes National Primate Research Center The Emory National Primate Research Center (formerly known as Yerkes National Primate Research Center) located in Atlanta, Georgia, owned by Emory University, is a center of biomedical and behavioral research, is dedicated to improving human and a ...

in the U.S. state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

from 1964 until 1988, when he was transferred to

Zoo Atlanta Zoo Atlanta (sometimes referred as Atlanta Zoo) is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoological park in Atlanta, Georgia. The current president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta is Raymond B. King. History Zoo Atlanta was founded in ...

. In 2009, he was the first gorilla to "volunteer" for a blood pressure test. Before his death at age 60, he was the oldest recorded male gorilla in captivity.

Life

Ozoum, commonly referred to as Ozzie, was a western lowland gorilla born in Africa circa 1961. He was caught on June 1, 1963. At the estimated age of 3, Ozoum arrived at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center on April 23, 1964. In the 1970s, he was part of

self-recognition In philosophy of self, self-awareness is the experience of one's own personality or individuality. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia. While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifesty ...

studies. In 1971, Ozoum was a subject in a quantitative study of

antigenic determinants An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B cells, or T cells. The epitope is the specific piece of the antigen to which an antibody binds. The p ...

red blood cells Red blood cells (RBCs), also referred to as red cells, red blood corpuscles (in humans or other animals not having nucleus in red blood cells), haematids, erythroid cells or erythrocytes (from Greek language, Greek ''erythros'' for "red" and ''k ...

. Beginning in October 1971, Ozoum was the subject of

reproductive behavior Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual org ...

research. In 1988, Ozzie was moved to the Ford African Rainforest at Zoo Atlanta. After transferring to Zoo Atlanta, Ozoum continued to be the subject of behavioral studies. Ozzie was a subject in a heart disease study at Zoo Atlanta. In 2009, he learned how to take his own blood pressure by inserting his arm in a

sphygmomanometer A sphygmomanometer ( ), a blood pressure monitor, or blood pressure gauge, is a device used to measure blood pressure, composed of an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff in a controlled manner, and a mercury (e ...

(blood pressure cuff), becoming the first gorilla to voluntarily do so. This took place after receiving months of training by zookeepers and researchers from

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

and

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

. Ozzie communicated with zoo staff through vocalizations and raps on doors and windows. By 2013, Ozzie had twelve children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. On June 20, 2021, the zoo celebrated Ozzie's 60th birthday, making him the oldest male gorilla in captivity. He weighed . In September 2021, Ozzie tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Ozzie had heart disease and

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

. He died on January 25, 2022, after experiencing facial swelling, weakness, and loss of appetite. Zoo Atlanta president and CEO Raymond B. King stated "Ozzie's life's contributions are indelible, in the generations of individuals he leaves behind in the gorilla population".

References

{{Authority control 1961 animal births 2022 animal deaths Individual gorillas Oldest animals Individual animals in the United States Emory University

Life

See also

References