Bobo (gorilla) facts for kids
Bobo, taxidermically stuffed at Seattle's Museum of History and Industry
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| Species | Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
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| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1951 |
| Died | February 22, 1968 (aged 16–17) Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Cause of death | Pulmonary embolism |
| Residence | Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Mate(s) | Fifi |
Bobo was a famous western lowland gorilla who lived at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, USA. He was born around 1951 and sadly passed away in 1968 when he was only 17 years old. Gorillas in zoos can often live much longer, sometimes into their 30s or 40s!
Many people loved to visit Bobo. He became one of Seattle's biggest attractions, even before famous landmarks like the Space Needle were built. People were very interested in gorillas, especially after the movie King Kong. After Bobo passed away, his body was preserved and put on display at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle. The rest of his body was used for scientific research at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.
Contents
Bobo's Early Life
Bobo was born in French Equatorial Africa in 1951. When he was only about two weeks old, a man named William Said captured him. At that time, capturing young gorillas was sometimes done, even though it meant killing the mother. Bobo was the youngest gorilla ever captured at that point, and no zoo wanted to buy such a tiny baby.
So, Said took Bobo to his home in Columbus, Ohio, USA. His mother helped care for the infant ape. A few months later, a fisherman named Bill Lowman from Washington state bought Bobo. Lowman was actually looking for a chimpanzee as a gift for his parents, Raymond and Jean Lowman. Bill's aunt drove Bobo all the way to the Lowman family home in Anacortes.
Living with the Lowmans
Bobo lived with the Lowman family in their home in Anacortes. Soon, everyone in town heard about the family with a gorilla living in their house! Bobo quickly became a local celebrity and a tourist attraction.
For two years, the Lowmans raised Bobo almost like a human child. However, as Bobo grew, he became very big and strong. His size and strength started causing problems for the family and their home. Jean Lowman kept notes about all the things Bobo broke or damaged. Eventually, the Lowmans realized they could no longer safely care for Bobo in their house. In 1953, they sold him to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
Life at the Zoo
At the Woodland Park Zoo, Bobo became an even bigger star. His popularity helped the zoo get public support to build a new home for primates. Even though he was at the zoo, Bobo never forgot the Lowman family. Whenever they came to visit, he would recognize them right away.
In 1956, the zoo introduced a female gorilla named Fifi to Bobo's enclosure. Zookeepers hoped they would become a pair and have baby gorillas. Fifi stayed with Bobo until he passed away, but they never had any offspring. This puzzled both the zookeepers and the public who followed their story.
Bobo's Passing and Legacy
Bobo was found dead in his cage on February 22, 1968. The official cause of his death was a pulmonary embolism, which is a serious blood clot. After his death, Bobo's skin was carefully preserved and mounted. It was then put on display at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) a few months later. The rest of his body was given to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture for scientific research. The Burke Museum still has these remains today.
Bobo's preserved body has been a popular exhibit at MOHAI for many years. It was even displayed at the Anacortes Museum for a short time. The exhibit was taken down for restoration in 1997 because it was getting old, but it was put back on display after being fixed up. When MOHAI moved to a new location in 2012, Bobo's display was moved there too.
The Mystery of Bobo's Skull
After Bobo's remains were sent to the Burke Museum, a student discovered that his skull was missing! This meant the museum couldn't fully prepare his skeleton for study, as it wouldn't be complete.
Years later, in 1978, the director of the Burke Museum heard that the skull might be with a doctor named Merrill Spencer, who had been present during Bobo's autopsy. In 1981, Spencer allowed a writer to take a picture of the skull. However, he refused to give it back to the museum. After Spencer passed away in 2006, his employees decided it was time for Bobo's skull to be reunited with the rest of his skeleton. After some discussions, the skull was finally returned to the Burke Museum in 2007.
See also
- List of individual apes
