Constipated gorilla in Kansas zoo recovering after surgery

TOPEKA: A constipated 49-year-old lowland gorilla at the Topeka Zoo in Kansas is recovering after having surgery.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that zoo Director Brendan Wiley says the procedure that Tiffany underwent Wednesday went “really well.” A significant amount of stool was found in her colon and was flushed out.

Wiley says the best-case scenario is that she will bounce back. If issues continue, test results will be reviewed to determine how to treat her constipation.


The zoo said staff reported on Friday that the gorilla wasn’t acting like herself. Staff thought a storm the previous night might have upset her, but over the following days, she lost more of her appetite. The surgery was performed to determine why she had been reluctant to eat.