Staff, volunteers and guests were all incredibly fond of Gus. It seems the feeling was mutual.

We are sad to report that Gus, our most famous rainbow lorikeet, died yesterday morning at the estimated age of nineteen. A necropsy was inconclusive, but rainbow lorikeets tend to live for 15 to 20 years, so we believe he succumbed to age-related causes.

Gus was incredibly fond of people, especially his keepers and the aviary volunteers.

“Most lorikeets will drink your nectar and fly away,” said Micaela, who worked with Gus from 2011 to his death. “Gus was different. He loved to sit on your shoulder or climb on your belt and play with your keys. We would stack nectar cups for him and he would flip them over one at a time, which was always fun to watch.”

Gus arrived in January 2003. He lived in the original Australasia aviary until 2016 and “migrated” to Lorikeet Landing in Lands of Change: Australia and Beyond the following year.

Gus was proof that the smallest animals can make the biggest impacts on our lives. The Zoo won’t be the same without him.