Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.

Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.

Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”

Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.

“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”

There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.