Staff at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo are mourning the loss of beloved member of their family.
In a social media post, the zoo says Yusufu, a 20-year-old mandrill monkey who became a resident of the zoo in 2014, passed away suddenly last week at the age of 20.
He was recovering from emergency abdominal surgery at the time of his death.
According to the zoo, Yusufu needed surgery because of serious issues with his intestines.
However, more information will be released once histology results are available.
The average life expectancy for mandrills in human care is 18.3 years.
“Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is never easy, especially when the loss is sudden and unexpected,” the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said in a statement.
Yusufu came to Calgary with his sister Layla 10 years ago, and the zoo says staff have been monitoring her behaviour, while they work with the AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) to find her a new suitable mandrill for companionship.