Tubby
04-05-2006, 10:18 PM
Gorilla dies in South Africa undergoing breast cancer surgery
[QUOTE]
The female mate of South Africa's most famous crime-busting gorilla has died while undergoing surgery for suspected breast cancer, the Johannesburg Zoo said.
Lisa the gorilla died "while under anaesthetic" during an operation, the zoo said in a statement to the SAPA news agency on Wednesday after veterinarians noticed a lump in its breast which they suspected might be cancer.
The 35-year-old female primate was the mate of Max the gorilla, which became a national hero in crime-prone South Africa for beating up a runaway thief who jumped into its cage at the zoo in 1997.
The gorilla was shot twice in the incident.
Since catching the thief, Max has grabbed headlines as a symbol of South Africa's fight against rampant crime and became a major draw for visitors.
Max died in its sleep in 2004 aged 33 in complications related to old age.
[QUOTE]
The female mate of South Africa's most famous crime-busting gorilla has died while undergoing surgery for suspected breast cancer, the Johannesburg Zoo said.
Lisa the gorilla died "while under anaesthetic" during an operation, the zoo said in a statement to the SAPA news agency on Wednesday after veterinarians noticed a lump in its breast which they suspected might be cancer.
The 35-year-old female primate was the mate of Max the gorilla, which became a national hero in crime-prone South Africa for beating up a runaway thief who jumped into its cage at the zoo in 1997.
The gorilla was shot twice in the incident.
Since catching the thief, Max has grabbed headlines as a symbol of South Africa's fight against rampant crime and became a major draw for visitors.
Max died in its sleep in 2004 aged 33 in complications related to old age.