Silverback gorilla Kiburi gets full health checks at London Zoo

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2025-09-22

Silverback gorilla Kiburi, the 21-year-old patriarch of London Zoo's western lowland gorilla troop, was given an initial clean bill of health this week – following a mighty trip to the vets for a full health check. The 177kg primate had been under observation after contending with recurrent gastrointestinal issues, leading the Zoo's expert veterinary team to decide that they needed to take a closer look at him, with the help of a CT scan and both veterinary and human health specialists. Before his full health check could take place, Kiburi had to be anaesthetised – which was done with an injection in his upper arm. This seemingly simple procedure took months of planning to achieve, with Kiburi taking part in frequent training with zookeepers and veterinary nurses, so that he would offer his arm for the anaesthetic to be administered. Once anaesthetised, Kiburi was first given a full cardiology examination in the back dens of his Gorilla Kingdom habitat with London Zoo's vets supported by cardiologists from the Royal Veterinary College. Monitoring heart health for any animal is important, and provides the opportunity to assess their overall wellbeing. Once this was completed, it was time to get Kiburi to the CT truck. It took six people to heave the ape onto a gurney, before he had to be driven on a five-minute journey through the zoo on a flatbed truck to the CT scanner, surrounded by vets and nurses monitoring him the whole way. The CT scanner – a huge piece of machinery – had to be hired in, with Burgess Diagnostics Mobile CT Service wheeling their 44-feet long truck into the Zoo's grounds, ready for Kiburi's check-up. The scan, which was focussed on Kiburi's abdomen, revealed no obvious cause for concern, a diagnosis supported by doctors from the NHS who specialise in gastrointestinal health and imaging, and provided unique assistance for Kiburi's procedure., Credit:ZSL London Zoo / Avalon

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