LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Zoo has announced the death of its beloved 36-year-old orangutan, Cheek.

The male orangutan was humanely euthanized after a years-long battle with heart disease, the zoo said in a news release. Cheek is a Sumatran-Borneo hybrid orangutan who lived with a heart condition. His longevity is “a testament to his resilience and the exceptional care he received,” the zoo said.

According to the paper, Cheek had been receiving treatment for a heart condition, but his heart function had worsened in recent months. His condition was further exacerbated by a chronic respiratory disease known as orangutan respiratory disease syndrome. Mr. Cheek participated in special daily treatments to manage his illness.

Norton Healthcare cardiologist Dr. Joe Rush oversaw Cheek’s cardiac care, working closely with the animal care team and zoo veterinarians. After being diagnosed with heart disease, Cheek was prescribed the same medication used in humans. Despite treatment, monitoring, and therapy, his heart disease progressed to heart failure over the course of two and a half years.

“End-of-life decisions are always difficult, especially for charismatic animals like Cheek,” said Dr. Zoli Ghimesh, Senior Staff Veterinarian. “However, his welfare and quality of life were always our top priority throughout his care.”

“We are all saddened by the loss of Cheek at the Louisville Zoo and the entire community,” Dr. Rush said. “During these difficult times, I am continually reminded of and grateful for the skill and caring professionalism of our zoo staff in supporting the complex medical care required to support our primate programs.”

“Cheek was definitely a celebrity at the Louisville Zoo. His outstanding personality made him a great ambassador for his species and allowed him to inspire an interest in wildlife in visitors of all ages. Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney said: “While our staff feels the death of the animal, we recognize that Cheek’s death resonates just as deeply for our broader community. “I will,” he said. “Thank you to everyone who visited and cared for Cheek during his time in Louisville. He was a very special member of our zoo family and will be greatly missed.”

Information gleaned from Cheek’s heart condition will be shared with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Great Ape Heart Project. The Great Aper Heart Project is a team of zoo veterinarians, human and veterinary cardiologists, sonographers, and pathologists collecting cardiac data for four great apes. The team provides advice and support to great apes in zoos who are affected by heart disease.

Cheek was born on November 21, 1987 at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota. Zoo fans are well known for his steady gaze as he stands in front of the zoo observing visitors. Cheek and his half-sister, Amber, are also Sumatran-Bronean hybrid orangutans who came to Louisville from the Columbus Zoo in 1996. The two also appeared on The David Letterman Show with Jack Hannah in 1988.

The zoo honored Cheek by releasing a video reminiscing about his life.

The zoo is encouraging those who want to celebrate Teak’s life to support products made with sustainable palm oil to protect orangutan habitat. The report said the destruction of rainforests due to palm oil harvesting is destroying orangutan habitat. The Louisville Zoo recommends the PalmOil Scan app developed by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to identify sustainable options.