The State - News from Oct. 19, 1986

Bwana, the 29-year-old gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo and father of world-famous “talking” gorilla Koko, has been given tests by medical experts trying to find out what’s ailing him. Heart and cancer specialists, radiologists and blood technicians swarmed over Bwana who was anesthetized and wheeled into the zoo hospital on a gurney. Bwana isn’t eating much, is extremely lethargic and seems to be in pain, said Zoo director Saul Kitchener, who added, “Bwana has been aging noticeably in recent months.” A team of physicians, technicians and veterinarians from institutions that included Stanford University Hospital was assembled to give Bwana the examination. Newman said most of the results won’t be available for a week.