Well this is something you don’t see everyday.
If you’ve ever wanted to see pictures of a 400-pound gorilla up close and personal, well you’re in luck.
Let me introduce you to Koga, a 35-year-old western lowland gorilla that has lived at upstate New York’s Buffalo Zoo since 2007.
Koga recently underwent a health examination, which he goes through every other year. And this time, the zoo brought the cameras inside.
Zoo employee Christan Dobosiewicz told Caters News:
“They take a look at his heart to check for heart disease, which can be common in these animals, as well as giving the rest of his body, including his teeth, eyes, joints and muscles, a once over.”
A team of veterinarians went in and subdued Koga for the inspection, placing him under amnesia.
Dobosiewicz continued:
“It’s a big process and takes a big team to ensure everything goes smoothly. He is huge and can be a very dangerous animal, so it can be tense to begin with, but our team are remarkable.”
Gorillas are typically between four to six feet in height, and weigh up to 440 pounds, so Koga is about right in that wheelhouse. Be one hell of a nightmare of he woke up mid-examination… seems like the plot of movie would take over at that point.
Luckily, this isn’t a sci-fi movie and this veterinary team knows what they’re doing.
Dobosiewicz also praised the team’s professionalism during the examination:
“The team are professional and always on the ball. It’s never nerve-wracking being in the room with them because I know how amazing they are at their job.
It’s incredible to see the size of his hands and fingers. I put my hands up against his and it puts a lot of things into perspective.”
And if you were wondering how Koga’s examination went, he got the all clear:
“Everything went well during the examination and Koga is as happy and healthy as ever.”
