Wellington Zoo puts down chimp after he suffers critical injuries in fight
Wellington Zoo has euthanised one of its chimpanzees after he was critically injured in a fight.
Kitwe, 11, who was named by the late conservationist and chimp expert Dr Jane Goodall, died yesterday, Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo said in a social media post.
He was involved in a fight with other members of the chimp troop, and was assessed by the primate and veterinary teams afterwards.
“The decision was made to euthanise him due to the extent of his injuries,” the zoo said.
Kitwe was known for his "goofy" smile. Photo / Wellington Zoo
“Fights and displays of aggression are behaviours common in chimpanzee troops and this is a natural part of chimp life, whether they’re living in the forest or in human care.
“Understanding this is part of chimpanzees’ nature does not make the loss of Kitwe any easier on our team, and we are all feeling this loss, especially the primate team who care for the chimps every day.”
Zoo staff will monitor the rest of the troop to see how they settle over the next couple of weeks.
Kitwe, described by the zoo as “extremely sweet-natured with zookeepers”, was born in 2014.
He loved training and his favourite meal was dinner, “but generally he loved food no matter what it was”.
“He made the best excited food noises and always had to let everyone else in the troop know when there was food around.”
He loved playing with 4-year-old Akida and “had endless patience with him”.
“He was the sweetest boy with the goofiest smile, and he will be greatly missed by everyone at the zoo and across our community of visitors.”
It is not the first time Wellington Zoo has had to euthanise animals after aggression.
In 2019 the zoo put down its troop of baboons after a breakdown in their social structure.
Zoo staff explained at the time the baboons would have killed each other, but could not be rehomed, kept in isolation or reintroduced into different troops.
The then-primate team leader said the troop was stable for a long time, but when its hierarchy began falling apart the fighting became more frequent and the baboons started suffering worse injuries.
Kitwe was "extremely sweet-natured" with zookeepers, the zoo said. Photo / Wellington Zoo
“In the end it led to a complete disestablishment and non-existence of any hierarchy within that group,” she said.
Other recent deaths of animals at the zoo have been caused by old age and health issues, with the latest being Fernando the capybara, whose health and quality of life plunged after the death of his breeding partner, Dia.
In April, 18-year-old Sumatran tiger Bashii was also euthanised after developing kidney disease, a common issue for elderly cats.
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