INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo announced the death of one of its orangutans on Friday.
The zoo said 42-year-old orangutan Knobi started declining early this past week. It said the care team tried to make Knobi as comfortable as possible and spend as much time with her as they could.
"Knobi was a remarkable and wonderful individual, having been a surrogate mom to both Rocky and Max," the zoo said in a statement. "We love you and will miss you Knobi!"
On the zoo's bio page about Knobi, she was described as very confident and assertive. The zoo said she was neat and would pick up items out of place and wipe down dirty surfaces.
Knobi had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but the zoo was managing it with a balanced diet and activity.
Knobi was particular about her food. She liked apples and peanuts, but would absolutely not eat tomatoes.
An orangutan's life expectancy in captivity is 30 to 40 years and some can live upwards of 50 years, according to the Louisville Zoo.
