Cobby, the oldest captive chimpanzee in the United States , died at the San Francisco Zoo, California , at the age of 63, zoo officials announced Sunday.
The male’s cause of death is still being determined, but the chimp had recently been ill.
“Cobby, a gentle soul, brought a reassuring presence to our group of seven (chimps) and was a protective companion to Minnie and Maggie, with whom he lived for 42 years, ” the San Francisco Zoo said in a heartfelt message on his account. from Twitter.
They added that “Cobby’s absence will be especially difficult” for the two females Minnie and Maggie.
Brought to San Francisco in the mid-1960s, Cobby and his companions were the favorites of millions of zoo visitors, living together in the Triple Grotto, an outdoor moated exhibit, which in its latest renovation facilitated Visitors can view the chimpanzees up close.
Chimpanzees could also see visitors through windows.
Cobby was a chimpanzee raised by humans. The average life expectancy of chimpanzees in the wild is 33 years. While under human care, life expectancy is between 50 and 60 years, the San Francisco Zoo explained.
