R.I.P. Bonnie

[Lulu2]

Generally, the zoo IS interesting and no question that I love being there, even when the news is tragic and we're all thrown into grief because we've lost a beloved animal.

Today was a day like that. Our dear, sweet Bonnie, eldest of the chimps, was euthanized after suffering a string of strokes which left her seriously damaged! I can't tell you how sad this is--every chimp in our group of 13 has known Bonnie for all their life. She was a mother, grandmother, friend, mentor and generally quiet leader to everyone in the troop. She loved men and would flirt shamelessly with them from the exhibit.

When I first started doing research for the zoo, I was asked to spend time in front of the exhibit, to see if I could discover why Nan (one of Bonnie's daughters) refused to "lock up" for the night. If a keeper can't "lock up" the animals...that keeper can't clean the exhibit! It's not tragic for a day or so, but it's obviously necessary to get the animals inside eventually. In order to "transfer" chimps, this keeper would open the door to the night quarters late in the day, enticing everyone in with food. Nan would come in with all the others, but then she'd grab her food and scamper back out onto the exhibit. Bonnie would either sit in the door so the keeper couldn't close Nan in with the rest, or she'd wait outside until Nan came back out with her food.

This clever mom realized her daughter didn't want to spend the night in her "bedroom," so she devised a way to help her!

I couldn't see anything going on to cause Nan's actions and went back into the holding area to chat with the keeper and try to think of a solution to the problem. While I was there, the keeper left for a moment and I was alone with all the chimps as they sorted through their food. Both Nan and Bonnie were in the food area and the thought crossed my mind that I could close the door myself, and help the keeper that way.

QUICK AS A FLASH, I put out my hand to the lever and, turning to look at the door, I saw Bonnie sitting in it, with her foot against the threshold. She almost TWINKLED at me, looking directly into my eyes with an "AHA...thought you'd fool ME, did you?" expression.

I'll never forget the feeling of being completely outwitted by a chimpanzee!

Bonnie had a long and happy life with her family and she'd never have lived as long as she did in the wild. She'd had a series of small strokes about three years ago but made a fair recovery. But this time, it was just too late.

She was 53. The vets who euthanized her let the keepers who wanted to say goodbye come in to view the body and then they let the chimps come into the area. Chimps know about death and, whenever possible, a deceased member of the family is brought to them, so they can know what happened to their loved one.

I'm crying as I write this because, like everyone who knew her, I loved Bonnie, too.

Lots of people think they'd like to work in a zoo....but days like this one are really HARD!

[valerie]

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[minks]

Peace Be with you Bonnie

Huggs to you Lu2

[JacksDad]

Peace, Bonnie.
Peace. Lulu.

Lulu

Bonnie

Sad news .

[RedGlitter]

Wow! She was 53?! I was not aware chimpanzees lived so long. Learned something new! Is 50 or so the given standard of years for chimps or was Bonnie just lucky?

This is a sad occasion. Will your zoo staff hold any kind of private or public vigil for Bonnie?

[spiritglow]

This is sad...it's extremely hard when we suffer the loss of a loved animal..May God bless Bonnie and keep her safe.

[CARLA]

Rest in Peace Bonnie.

[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.

[AussiePam]

You write wonderfully about Bonnie, and the other chimps too, Lulu. I know they have their own ways of grieving too. I'm sending you a very heartfelt hug!!! Sorry for your loss. Rest in Peace, Bonnie.