Minnesota’s Como Zoo Lost One of It’s Most Beloved Residents

I remember being a kid and heading over to the Como Zoo quite often.  Or so it seemed.  We lived in St. Paul before we made the move to more rural Central Minnesota and the zoo wasn't too far away. Plus, there were some fun rides, animals, and snacks that made for a fun activity on a summer day.

One of the things I do remember is the gorilla house.  This is not a great memory, but it's definitely a vivid one.  I watched a gorilla eat a banana, then throw it up, they ate that, and repeated the process a few times afterwards. It was really disgusting.  I'm not sure why i would have stood there watching that, but I do remember being pulled away from that thing while the process was still going on.  Not sure how many times that scenario played out.  Gross

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But there was also an orangutan exhibit.  One of the residents there, Amanda the Orangutan had been at the Como Zoo for over 4 decades.  46 years, actually.  Unfortunately she passed away this past Sunday morning.

A statement from the Como Zoo's Megan Elder, the zoo's primate zookeeper and orangutan species survival coordinator through Bring Me the News: 

"We lost a beautiful soul," Elder said. “It’s crushing for me, my co-workers, and all that knew her, cared for her, and loved her. It’s no exaggeration to say she inspired generations. It’s hard to imagine Como without her”. 

According to the announcement, Amanda came to the Como Zoo from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas when she was three-years-old. 

Besides the animals, there are other things to see and enjoy at the Como Zoo. One of which is the conservatory, which people will visit in the Winter to get out of the cold and enjoy some of what you can in the Winter while indoors.  You can get more information on their website.