CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Zoo had two major announcements this week, including the birth of a Western lowland gorilla and the passing of Willy, the zoo's adult male elephant. Both events happened within minutes of each other around noon on July 19, the zoo said.

Willy arrived in 2011 and was an invaluable member of herd alongside females Moshi, Martika, Shenga and Kallie. 

African elephants are the largest land animals and Willy was known for his size, standing at 11-feet-tall and weighing about 13,000 pounds.

“We’re deeply sad to share the passing of Willy, who was an unforgettable ambassador to his species here over the past 12 years and beloved by all of our Zoo team and extended Zoo family,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar in a news release.

Male elephants have a median life expectancy of 24 years, something Willy surpassed as he was 44 years old when he died. He battled long-term health conditions for the past few years and was humanely euthanized following a severe downturn in his health.

“As we mourn the loss of Willy, it’s not lost on us that within minutes of his passing, we welcomed the birth of a newborn gorilla – only the second in our history," said Kuhar. "I want to thank our tremendous and tireless team for their efforts during this emotional day.”

The newest arrival is just the second gorilla born at Cleveland Metropark's Zoo in its 141 years. The mother gorilla, Kebi Moyo, is 32 and the father of the newborn is Mokolo, 36. This is the second gorilla Mokolo has fathered after Kayembe, the first gorilla born in the zoo, who was born in 2021.

The zoo said Kebi and the newborn are showing positive development signs including nursing and bonding with other members of the troop. 

The troop, including mom and baby, will not be visible to the public temporarily to encourage bonding. A public naming opportunity will be announced in the coming days.