Massa (1971-2020)

Massa was a western lowland gorilla who was likely the second oldest male gorilla in Europe after Old Bob and the oldest male gorilla in Germany and within a European zoo (Old Bob resides within a private collection.) He was also the oldest male gorilla in the European Endangered Species Breeding Program. He was born in the wild in 1971 and was brought to Europe in 1975. He lived in the Krefeld Zoo, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany from the 29th April 1975 until his death in 2020. He had 16 children, including still births, abortions and those who died shortly after birth, however 8 survived long enough to be named, those being Gorgo, Rebecca, Bagira, Kisoro and Jambo with Boma and Irala, Mueli and Kimba with Tumba. He also has many grandchildren and other descendants. He died on the 1st January 2020 in Krefeld Zoo after a fire in his enclosure badly burnt him. Vets were unable to euthanise him, so they requested that the police killed him. He was killed when a police officer shot him with a sub-machine the officer as well as other emergency service responders were offered therapy following the fire. Many residents and visitors have sent their condolences to the zoo and have placed flowers, toys and messages of mourning in remembrance of Massa and the other animals who died, including orangutans, chimpanzees, birds and fruit bats. The fire was found to be caused by illegal Chinese lanterns used for a new years’ celebration and bought illegally. The perpetrators handed themselves in to the police and were praised for sling so by a senior police officer. They may face up to 5 years in prison for negligent arson.