This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2009, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A female gorilla who has been fighting cancer at Utah's Hogle Zoo for more than a year was euthanized Monday afternoon.
The 44-year-old Muke was put to sleep after veterinarians decided that her quality of life had drastically diminished.
Muke had lived at Utah's Hogle Zoo since 1996. Last year, she underwent surgery including a hysterectomy, the removal of some cancerous tissue and the release of more than six liters of excess fluid from her body, but doctors also discovered that the cancer had moved into her lymphatic system, leaving little hope that it would go into remission.
A memory book where Hogle Zoo visitors can share their thoughts is available to zoo visitors in the lobby of the zoo's Great Ape Building.
