The ape was diagnosed with heart disease in January 2010.

“He was a great gorilla,” said Jennifer D’Agostino, director of veterinarian services at the Oklahoma City Zoo. “He was really good with his family. He’s going to be missed for sure.”

Bom Bom, 36, had a ruptured aneurysm in his heart.

A silverback gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo died Monday of heart disease.

He was examined after his keepers noticed him having trouble getting around. He was moving slowly, short of breath and unable to use his hips correctly. They suspected back trouble, heart disease or both.

Veterinarians discovered his heart muscle had thickened, and his blood pressure was really high, D’Agostino said.

The ape was put on blood pressure medicine, and he perked up. His energy returned. He started moving normally.

“You could tell he felt much better,” D’Agostino said.