Max (6 March 1971 – 5 May 2004) was a
western lowland gorilla
The western lowland gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') that lives in montane, primary and secondary forest and lowland swampland in central Afr ...
held at the
Johannesburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is a zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. The zoo is dedicated to the accommodation, enrichment, husbandry, and medical care of wild animals, and houses about 2000 individuals of 320 species. Established in 1904, it has t ...
who in 1997 was shot and wounded by Isaac Mofokeng,
a criminal who entered his enclosure at the zoo while attempting to evade police.
Max was born on 6 March 1971,
in Germany's
Frankfurt Zoo and died 5 May 2004,
at the
Johannesburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is a zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. The zoo is dedicated to the accommodation, enrichment, husbandry, and medical care of wild animals, and houses about 2000 individuals of 320 species. Established in 1904, it has t ...
.
A bronze statue of Max has been erected near the gorilla enclosure in the zoo.
Makoko, a gorilla from the
Munster Zoo in Germany, replaced Max as Lisa's partner then they died.
Shooting incident
On 18 July 1997, police surprised Isaac Mofokeng while committing a crime in
Saxonwold next to the zoo. Trying to evade police, Mofokeng entered the zoo grounds and the enclosure where Max and his mate Lisa were held. During the confrontation between Max and Mofokeng, Mofokeng was seriously injured and Max was shot twice with a .38 revolver, one shot in the chest and the other in the neck.
Three pursuing police officers were also injured during the incident, Constable Robert Tshabalala was bitten by Max on his arm and buttocks, Max broke the arm of Sergeant Rassie Rassenelebroke and Constable Amos Simelane broke his ankle. Mofokeng was eventually shot and wounded by the pursuing police.
After zoo veterinarians failed to locate and extract the bullets at the zoo hospital, Max was sent for
X-rays
X-rays (or rarely, ''X-radiation'') are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. In many languages, it is referred to as Röntgen radiation, after the German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who discovered it in 1895 and named it ' ...
and surgery to nearby
Milpark Hospital
The Milpark Hospital is a private hospital in western Parktown, Johannesburg, in the area known as Milpark, and owned by Netcare Limited. It has a level 1 accredited trauma unit, and cardiology and cardio-thoracic services. It has 346 beds, of ...
.
Mofokeng was later convicted of rape, robbery and wounding a gorilla. He received a 40-year sentence,
but died in early November 2005 while a patient at the
Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.
See also
*
List of individual apes
This is a list of non-human apes of encyclopedic interest. It includes individual chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, bonobos, and gibbons that are in some way famous or notable.
Actors
* Bam Bam, an orangutan, played Precious on the soap opera ...
References
{{Notable apes
1971 animal births
2004 animal deaths
Individual gorillas
South African victims of crime
Individual animals in South Africa