Beloved 40-Year-Old Animal Passed Away At Como Zoo in Minnesota

Just a handful of days after Como Park Zoo & Conservatory announced the loss of their beloved ostrich, Pickles, their team was in the mix of heartbreak again.

READ MORE: Como Zoo Shares Sad Update About Pickles, Their Beloved Ostrich

Another Devastating Loss at Popular Zoo in Minnesota

About 17 acres in Saint Paul, Minnesota are dedicated to the beloved animals at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory at 1225 Estabrook Drive.  This was the first zoo in Minnesota and today, close to 2 million people visit it each year.

Sadly, some devastating news about one of Como's 1,700 animals was recently shared on social media.

We are deeply saddened to share that Jambu, our beloved male Sumatran orangutan, has passed away at age forty.

The heartbreaking went on to share that Jambu has been part of the Como family since 1995.  He brightened up the zoo and was an amazing companion to Markisa and dedicated father to Kemala and Jaya.

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Beloved Animal, Jambu, At Como Zoo in Minnesota Diagnosed With Cancer

Jambu, the Sumatran orangutan at Como Zoo, was starting to experience some behavior changes that caused some concern.  With the help of veterinarians at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital, the Como veterinary team found the following during the checkup:

"...discovered multiple masses on his liver and clinical signs associated with cancer which would significantly impact his quality of life. Early necropsy results showed multiple masses in his liver, intestines and colon. His recent behavior changes led his dedicated care team to seek advanced diagnostics and ultimately compassionate end of life medical care."

Zookeepers at Como Zoo Honor 40-Year-Old Orangutan

The loss of Jambu is a tremendous one for the Como team.  As the team was honoring the 40-year-old orangutan, "handsome, silly, kind, and deeply special" were all words that were used by the zookeepers to describe him.

“He was my rock. He always wanted to engage with his babies and was such a gentle playmate.” - Primate Zookeeper Megan Elder

Next time you walk through Como, please take a moment to thank those you see who are working.  The loss that the team is experiencing isn't just an animal, this is someone who has been part of their Como family for several decades.