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Charles, the western lowland silverback gorilla who has been at the Toronto Zoo since it opened in 1974, has died.

On Wednesday, days after the zoo announced the 52-year-old “icon” was facing significant health problems, officials said Charles died late Tuesday afternoon “of natural causes after faced significant health problems”.

“I’m so proud of the work our team did to keep him comfortable in his final days with us,” general manager Dolf DeJong said in a statement. “After some initial signs of improvement yesterday morning, Charles’ condition took a sudden turn late in the day and he died surrounded by those who cared deeply for him.

“Charles was more than an icon, he was a member of our family of zoos and a powerful ambassador for his species, and our flags will fly at full mast to commemorate his life.”

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Charles was an orphan when he came to the zoo in Gabon, Africa. He fathered 11 offspring and was the grandfather of six, and the zoo noted that even in his later years, he “continued to be vigilant in protecting them and maintaining order in the troop.”

Zoo staff noticed late last week that “Charles was not his usual self. He was quiet, had little appetite, was slower than usual to move and was breathing a little faster and harder.” The team made a presumptive diagnosis of heart failure and started her on heart medication.

The 195-pound Charles rallied over the weekend with a return of his appetite and improved interaction with staff.

“Yesterday morning, Charles was bright and sitting up eating, but he deteriorated suddenly and rapidly in the afternoon,” the zoo said, adding that “a full post-mortem examination is underway and has already confirmed significant changes in his heart “.

The zoo notes that endangered western lowland gorillas in the wild typically live up to 30 to 40 years and that “the species continues to decline at an annual rate of 2.7%, mainly due to poaching for bushmeat, disease and habitat loss and degradation. “

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