Peri-anaesthetic and anaesthetic-related mortality risks in great apes (Hominidae) in zoological collections in the UK and Ireland

This study has shown that great ape anaesthesia appears to carry a high risk of mortality. Sick and aged patients are at an increased risk of death and particular care should be exercised during their anaesthesia. Standardisation and completeness of anaesthetic records across zoological collections would assist greatly in further studies.