<p>Caesar the silverback gorilla, who came to Zoo Atlanta from Los Angeles last year, died unexpectedly Tuesday.</p><p>Caesar, 26 years old, had a gastrointestinal problem over the past week, but zoo spokeswoman Helen Bioty said the illness had been treated and seemed under control. He was not on public display when he died about 2 p.m.</p><p>No other health problems had been detected. An official cause of death was to be determined by a necropsy.</p><p>Known as the first gorilla born by Caesarian section, hence his name, Caesar was an overweight lowland gorilla, in excess of 600 pounds, when he arrived on loan from the Los Angeles Zoo on Aug. 28. Zoo officials hoped he would mate with females in the family of popular Zoo Atlanta mascot Willie B., who died in February 2000 at 42.</p><p>After six months in quarantine, during which he was placed on a diet, Caesar made his zoo debut in March, tipping the scales at about 500 pounds.</p>
