Ivan the Gorilla:

Kereru Team - Years 3 and 4 - have been learning about the life of Ivan the Gorilla.

It's a wonderful story to share with children, heartbreaking, heartwarming and hopeful.

Here is a summary of Ivan's life story.

Ivan’s Early Life

Ivan and his sister, Burma, were likely born in 1962 and spent the first two years of their lives with their Silverback Lowland Western Gorilla family, traveling a few miles every day to enjoy the ripest fruits in their territory. Then, in 1964, animal poachers hunted Ivan’s family and tore them apart.

The traffickers captured Ivan and Burma, likely killing their parents to do so, and sold them to an animal dealer.

Ivan and Burma’s Journey to the U.S.

The journey from Africa to Washington was a disaster for the young gorillas. Even when animals are “successfully” shipped on airplanes, the confinement and darkness can be traumatizing. Poor Ivan got lost in transit for several weeks. During those many long days, he was likely trapped in a shipping container, receiving inadequate, if any, food, water, and no comfort.

Although Burma arrived at the expected time in Seattle, she quickly grew ill and died shortly after arriving at the B&I Circus Store. Burma was the last of his own kind Ivan saw for nearly thirty years.

Ivan Gets Moved to a Concrete Prison at the B&I Shopping Center

Instead of relinquishing Ivan to a facility with the means to care for him in some semblance of what he deserved, the owner of the B&I Circus Store constructed a concrete prison for the Ivan. Ivan’s desolate 14-by-14-foot enclosure featured one window for visitors to look through, a television set, a tire, and a swinging bar.

For the next 27 years, Ivan was constantly accosted by shoppers tapping on the glass of his cell. He could never go outside, and he spent much of his time sitting facing the wall. Finally, in 1987, people started to speak up for Ivan, organizing petitions and rallies for him.

Finally, in 1994, the B&I store relinquished custody of Ivan, and for the first time in nearly 30 years, he was allowed to leave his concrete prison.

Ivan’s Move to Atlanta

After a brief stint at AZA-accredited Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, another accredited facility, Zoo Atlanta, offered to house Ivan in a more suitable enclosure with female gorillas. There, he could enjoy some semblance of his home in Africa and could be seen lounging on sunny rocks and examining the plants around him.

What Caused Ivan the Gorilla’s Death?

Ivan died without pain at 50 years old after a few weeks of declining health. Although Ivan’s final years weren’t as idyllic as Disney’s One and Only Ivan portrayed, the silverback gorilla could enjoy a taste of the life he deserved to have in Africa.