Gorilla in the midst! Koga the 400lb silverback is knocked out for his annual health MOT where brave vets inspect his heart, eyes, teeth and muscles
- Koga, 34, is a western lowland gorilla and has a health MOT every other year
- Huge team of medics assemble to do the check to ensure it goes smoothly
- The images of Koga were taken by Christan Dobosiewicz, 30, during procedure
- His health check showed he was in good shape and happy and healthy
This is the moment Koga the 400lb silverback was knocked out for his annual health MOT where brave vets inspected his heart, eyes, teeth and muscles.
Koga, 34, who is a western lowland gorilla, has a health MOT every other year to ensure that his health is in tip-top condition.
The images of Koga, who has been at The Buffalo Zoo in New York since 2007, were taken by Christan Dobosiewicz, 30.
Photographs show the animal sleeping as the team of doctors check in on his health.
The huge animal is also seen holding the hand of one of the team doing his examination, with his huge stature making hers look miniscule.
Koga’s examination went well under the watchful eye of the large team making sure everything ran smoothly.
The ‘father figure’ gorilla who is massive and can be a very dangerous animal is happy and healthy.
Koga, 34, who is a western lowland gorilla, has a health MOT every other year to ensure that his health is in tip-top condition. The images of Koga, who has been at The Buffalo Zoo in New York since 2007, were taken by Christan Dobosiewicz, 30. Pictured: Koga the gorilla during his physical examination
Photographs show the animal sleeping as the team of doctors check in on his health. The huge animal is also seen holding the hand of one of the team doing his examination, with his huge stature making theirs look miniscule, pictured
Koga’s examination went well under the watchful eye of the large team making sure everything ran smoothly. Pictured: Koga now
Christian said: ‘Koga is a very good father to the other gorillas in our zoo. He gives off mean looks but that’s his role as the protector.
‘He is really good with keepers and responds well to training sessions and behind the scenes he is always playing with the kids.
‘Every couple of years he undergoes a physical examination to make sure he is healthy and well.
‘They take a look at his heart to check for heart disease which can be common in these animals, as well as giving the rest of his body, including his teeth, eyes, joints and muscles, a once over.
‘It’s a big process and takes a big team to ensure everything goes smoothly. He is huge and can be a very dangerous animal, so it can be tense to begin with, but our team are remarkable.
‘He is around 400lbs, so he is a very powerful animal.
‘The team are professional and always on the ball. It’s never nerve-wracking being in the room with them because I know how amazing they are at their job.
‘It’s incredible to see the size of his hands and fingers. I put my hands up against his and it puts a lot of things into perspective.
‘It’s very cool to see how powerful and strong he is, as well as getting so close to such an interesting animal.
‘Everything went well during the examination and Koga is as happy and healthy as ever.’
Photographer Christan said: ‘It’s very cool to see how powerful and strong he is, as well as getting so close to such an interesting animal.’ Pictured: The procedure
Christan described the team as professional and always on the ball. Pictured: The procedure
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