Winston, a western lowland gorilla who was a favourite attraction at a California safari park, has died at the age of 52, officials said.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park said Winston was euthanised on Saturday after veterinarians determined his condition was declining. The gorilla had been suffering from multiple health problems.

The zoo said in a statement: “After careful consideration stemming from furthering complications from his worsening conditions, and with Winston’s quality of life top of mind, wildlife health and care teams made the difficult decision to compassionately euthanise him.”

Winston was one of the oldest male gorillas in a US zoo, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Sunday.

“This gentle giant will be remembered for his quiet strength, easy-going nature, and heart of gold,” the zoo added.

In recent years, Winston had been treated for a variety of “age-related conditions”, including heart disease, degenerative joint disease and kidney disease.

The gorilla was born in the wild and later came under the care of a private owner in England.

Since coming to the San Diego safari park in 1984, Winston fathered nine offspring and is the grandfather to eight and a great-grandfather to one, the Union-Tribune reported.