[Lulu2]

Thanks, friends! Glitter...sometimes the keepers have held a small memorial gathering for a particularly loved animal. I don't know if the chimp staff will hold a gathering or not. (there are at least six or seven keepers working in that section now but many others have worked there in the past.) The zoo doesn't hold "official" memorials, probably because they feel it's up to the keeper staff...and rightly so.

Captive chimps live much longer than chimps in the wild, because like all zoo animals, they have access to dedicated vet care, dieticians, lack of stress, etc. There's at least one documented "wild" chimp who was 60, but this is extraordinary and shouldn't be considered "normal." Some people can live to be 100+...but that certainly doesn't mean we ALL do, or that it's to be expected.

Bonnie's best friend of many decades was Toto, our wonderful "honorary grandfather," who was about Bonnie's age when he died last year. He took it upon himself to be protector and teacher of the three "chimplets" in the group. I have a photo of him on my refrigerator, sitting with one of the little kids. She's holding his hand and nestling between his knees.

Chimps can be wonderful people.