What Happened to Ivan the Gorilla? How a Silverback from Africa Ended Up in a Shopping Center

For 27 long, unbroken years, humans confined Ivan the Gorilla to a concrete prison, on display at a shopping center. How did the silverback end up imprisoned at a rundown strip mall in Tacoma, Washington? From being kidnapped from his jungle home to decades spent in solitary confinement in the Puget Sound, Ivan’s tragic story reminds us why humans should leave animals in their natural homes.

©Argo Films, The Urban Gorilla

What Happened to Ivan the Gorilla?

Ivan’s Early Life

Ivan and his sister, Burma, were likely born in 1962 and spent the first two years of their lives with their Silverback Lowland Western Gorilla family, traveling a few miles every day to enjoy the ripest fruits in their territory. Then, in 1964, animal poachers hunted Ivan’s family and tore them apart.

The traffickers captured Ivan and Burma, likely killing their parents to do so, and sold them to an animal dealer. An exotic animal dealer contacted the B&I Circus Store in Tacoma, as the owner had previously purchased lions, bears, seals, elephants, chimpanzees, and other animals. After the sale, the traffickers shipped the baby gorillas from their homeland to the U.S.

Ivan and Burma’s Journey to the U.S.

The journey from Africa to Washington was a disaster for the young gorillas. Even when animals are “successfully” shipped on airplanes, the confinement and darkness can be traumatizing. Poor Ivan got lost in transit for several weeks. During those many long days, he was likely trapped in a shipping container, receiving inadequate, if any, food, water, and no comfort.

Although Burma arrived at the expected time in Seattle, she quickly grew ill and died shortly after arriving at the B&I Circus Store. Burma was the last of his own kind Ivan saw for nearly thirty years.

Life With the Johnston Family

Following Burma’s death, the B&I store owner moved Ivan into the home of a local family who managed a “pet” store at the B&I shopping center. When he was about six years old, what should have been a surprise to nobody, Ivan’s innate curiosity and strength threatened to endanger the Johnstons and their home. He swung from light fixtures, climbed curtains, tore up furniture, and grew more unruly. One day, he rolled a bowling ball down the stairs, demolishing the washing machine. He also emptied a 30-gallon fish tank and then fled to a neighbor’s house while the Johnstons were away for the day.

What Was the B&I Shopping Center Like?

The B&I Shopping Center, known as the B&I “Circus Store,” sold everything from toys, bicycles, and clothing to furniture, appliances, and even tattoos under one roof. During Ivan’s time, the complex housed a jumble of businesses, including Johnston’s “pet” store, a barber shop, a bowling alley, a shooting gallery, an arcade, and an indoor carousel.

The B&I Circus Store displayed dozens of animals, including a chicken forced to live inside a vending machine and a seal who died after eating coins visitors threw into their pond. Once he was removed from the Johnstons’ home, Ivan became another spectacle of the B&I Circus Store.

Ivan Gets Moved to a Concrete Prison at the B&I Shopping Center

Instead of relinquishing Ivan to a facility with the means to care for him in some semblance of what he deserved, the owner of the B&I Circus Store constructed a concrete prison for the adolescent gorilla. Ivan’s desolate 14-by-14-foot enclosure featured one window for visitors to look through, a television set, a tire, and a swinging bar.

©Argo Films, The Urban Gorilla

For the next 27 years, Ivan was constantly accosted by shoppers tapping on the glass of his cell. He could never go outside, and he spent much of his time sitting facing the wall. Finally, in 1987, people started to speak up for Ivan, organizing petitions and rallies for him. A 1991 documentary, The Urban Gorilla, featured Ivan and the hopeful case of another gorilla, Willie B, who successfully acclimated to a more naturalistic enclosure.

The difference in life quality was tangible to viewers, and the discontent with Ivan’s life grew across the U.S. Finally, in 1994, the B&I store relinquished custody of Ivan, and for the first time in nearly 30 years, he was allowed to leave his concrete prison.

Ivan’s Move to Atlanta

After a brief stint at AZA-accredited Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, another accredited facility, Zoo Atlanta, offered to house Ivan in a more suitable enclosure with female gorillas. There, he could enjoy some semblance of his home in Africa and was spotted lounging on sunny rocks and examining the plants around him.

What Caused Ivan the Gorilla’s Death?

Ivan died without pain at 50 years old after a few weeks of declining health. Although Ivan’s final years weren’t as idyllic as Disney’s One and Only Ivan portrayed, the silverback gorilla could enjoy a taste of the life he deserved to have in Africa.

How You Can Help Other Gorillas Like Ivan

Ivan was freed from his prison at the B&I store because compassionate people spoke up for him. Now, the “World’s Loneliest Gorilla” at the Pata Department Store Zoo needs your help!

Like Ivan’s enclosure in Washington, Bua Noi has no companions, trees, or grass in her joyless cage at the Pata Department Store. This shoddy shopping mall zoo needs to shut its doors and send the animals to get the care they desperately need. PETA Asia is renewing its offer to help transfer all the animals at Pata Zoo to a reputable sanctuary where they can receive proper medical care and live in enriching environments.