RIP Polo, India’s only Gorilla in Mysore Zoo
Today I was saddened reading the death of Polo, South Asia’s only gorilla at Mysore Zoo, Karnataka. He was 43! The normal life span of gorillas is 35, but Polo outlived that. Born in 1972, he was received from Dublin Zoo, Ireland, on August 8, 1995. Unfortunately he never got a mate in the zoo.
Earlier, a pair of gorillas, “Sugreeva and Sumathi” was the star attractions of the Mysore zoo. Sugreeva, the male gorilla, died within one year of being brought to the zoo. From then on, Sumathi lived a solitary life for more than 16 years.
The zoo authorities corresponded with the authorities of the world’s leading zoos, seeking a male gorilla. In 1992, Bobo, a male gorilla, was brought from Tel Aviv in Israel. However, Bobo became diabetic and its forehand was amputated due to gangrene. Subsequently, it died. After four years, the zoo received Polo. Sumathi, who had aged considerably, died in 2001, due to cardiac arrest.
You can read about his ailments here: Polo, South Asia’s only gorilla, dies at Mysore zoo. Interesting to note that he took instructions both in English and Kannada but when it came to following a command he was adamant on taking them from the old guards. Do you think he believed in seniority? I am amused he was not quite friendly with the new ones and did not follow their commands. During my last visit there I got some captures of him, he looked sad and lonely!
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Hello Indrani, just stopping back to say thank you so much for linking up to my critter party.. Have a happy day!
He may have lived a longer life than in the wild but he never had the chance to experience living naturally. I am not surporised he looks very ssad
How sad. I recall seeing him in the zoo. Tragic tale 🙁
So sad…RIP Polo
Thank you for educating me a lot and I am very much motivated to research further on it.
poor thing…he looks awful sad. I am not much of a zoo lover myself.
Nice read but sad to learn about its fate.
Excellent photos, he looks very thoughtful. It's sad he died.
Sad..I might have seen him on my visit there in 2000 then..
RIP polo..
Sad. Great tribute, Indrani.
I share your pain…
Poor chap…what a miserable life. He might have lived a shorter life in the wilderness but he would have been probably much happier.
Sad post, but beautiful tribute.
This is really very disheartening. RIP Polo! 🙁
That is sad. Whenever I see gorillas in zoos, even ones that are set up along natural habitat lines, I feel that they are prisoners and I also sense a kinship with humans. Some animals seems to adjust well in zoos (especially when they have plenty of space)but from my experience gorillas don't and it's similar to how humans don't do well when held prisoner.
It's sad but he lived a long lie for a gorilla. Very nice photos of him!
Polo lived a long time, it is still sad to hear of his death.. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!
Yes, terrible sadness, poor Polo.
Beautiful tribute to the Polo… sorry to hear his lose, but glad he got to survive such long even being alone! Great portraits
Oh how sad…..
i too was so sad reading polo s death yday. i remember seeing him in Mysore zoo many a times. He was a shy person..
so sad. but it's nice to hear that he had lived beyond his expectancy.
Awww poor baby. So sad.
I'm so sad, how beautiful he is!
And yes I agree, he seems sad and lonely..
RIP Polo!
How sad….you have me bawling. But…I wanted to add this:
Hi!
I'm trying to catch up on your posts after you left me a comment last week while I was out birding most days along with a national birding convention being held in our city. Hope your week ahead is a good one. Thanks for stopping by to leave me a comment.
Gorgeous shots – but so sad to see him in a zoo.
He does look sad.
The gorillas remind me of Lord Greystone and how Tarzan was born.
It was sad to read about the lonely life and death of Polo.
i cannot imagine a solo life for him was happy.
Oh, he does look SO sad!! I, too, wish he could have had a more normal life — whatever that is for all of us! Great captures as always, thank you for sharing — as always.
Polo looks sad in his photos. May he now rest in peace. I wish he had had more of a normal life on earth.
Sad to know,
Thanks for your post.
Polo's death IS a sad thing. Good that you took the pictures in time.
I was just a little girl in Chicago but I still remember when our famous gorilla, Bushman, died in the early 1950s.
He was a solitary prisoner to human vanity and indifference. I mourn his story, Indrani. Thank You.
Namaste