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Mama’s last embrace: a touching encounter in an old chimp’s final days

Source: YouTube/JanARAMvanHooff

Watch the heartbreaking moment as a dying chimpanzee recognises an old human friend before smiling and hugging him.

Dying chimp recognises old friend in emotional reunion

Mama, 59 years old and the oldest chimpanzee and matriarch of the famous chimpanzee colony of the Royal Burgers Zoo in Arnhem, the Netherlands, was gravely ill. Jan van Hooff (emeritus professor behavioural biology in Utrecht University and co-founder of the Burgers’ colony) who has known mamma since 1972, visited her in the week before she died of old age in April 2016. It took a while before she became aware of Jan’s presence. Her reaction was extremely emotional and heartbreaking. Mamma played an important social role in the colony. This has been described in “Chimpanzee Politics” by Franz de Waal, who studied the colony since 1974.

Dying chimpanzee reunites with old friend In her final days after half-a-century of life in captivity, an old friend comes to say farewell. Scroll down to see Jan van Hooff’s full, original video of the encounter. Source: Facebook/TheEpochTimes
In his widely acclaimed book ‘Chimpanzee Politics’, Frans de Waal even calls her “the oldest and undoubtedly most dangerous female of the troop.” In a chimpanzee troop the males are indeed the boss, but an alpha male won't last long without the support of the females. Mama ruled her females with a firm hand.
In her glory days Mama was at the absolute top of the chimpanzee females within the Arnhem chimpanzee troop. In his widely acclaimed book ‘Chimpanzee Politics’, Frans de Waal even calls her “the oldest and undoubtedly most dangerous female of the troop.” In a chimpanzee troop the males are indeed the boss, but an alpha male won’t last long without the support of the females. Mama ruled her females with a firm hand. Source: BurgersZoo.com
In some cases Mama’s babies even had to be raised with the extra help of the caretakers. At a later age she was appreciated by her peer group for her reconciling skills and her mediating role with conflicts. Her whole life she maintained a high position in the troop, although her granddaughter Morami had taken over her central role for a number of years already.
Despite her name, the zoo say she was a lousy mother. In some cases Mama’s babies even had to be raised with the extra help of the caretakers. At a later age she was appreciated by her peer group for her reconciling skills and her mediating role with conflicts. Her whole life she maintained a high position in the troop, although her granddaughter Morami had taken over her central role for a number of years already. Source: BurgersZoo.com
It is estimated that Mama was born in the wild in 1957, after which she lived at the German Zoo of Leipzig for years. In 1971 Mama, together with the chimpanzee females Gorilla and Franje, moved to Arnhem, in the Netherlands, where they formed the new chimpanzee colony that would become world famous. Mama spent more than half-a-century in captivity.
Mama at an early age with a caretaker in Leipzig zoo It is estimated that Mama was born in the wild in 1957, after which she lived at the German Zoo of Leipzig for years. In 1971 Mama, together with the chimpanzee females Gorilla and Franje, moved to Arnhem, in the Netherlands, where they formed the new chimpanzee colony that would become world famous. Mama spent more than half-a-century in captivity. Source: BurgersZoo.com

Jan van Hooff’s original footage of the emotional encounter If you still think animals have no feelings after watching this… it may be you who has no feelings. Source: YouTube/JanARAMvanHooff
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How You Can Help Protect Chimpanzees

There are many things you can do to improve the well-being of chimpanzees, whether in the wild or in captivity. Click for some suggestions from the Jane Goodall Institute.