In the fight last week, Rene, a fellow chimp, lost his life along with Qafzeh.
Chimpanzee group dynamics are described as “incredibly complex” by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which manages Edinburgh Zoo.
In the wild, fights also happen, particularly during mating season, when females are in season and males are vying for group control.
As soon as Qafzeh recovered enough following professional health examinations, news stated that it was crucial to “maintain bonds” by reintegrating him into the regiment.
Louis, Lucy, Eva, Sophie, Lianne, Heleen, Qafzeh, Kilimi, Paul, Frek, Edith, Liberius, Velu, and Masindi are among the fourteen chimpanzees that live in the Budongo Trail enclosure.
“We were devastated by Rene’s passing last week,” said Darren McGarry, head of living collections at RZSS. “Rene was a much-loved chimpanzee, and I speak for all of the staff and volunteers at Edinburgh Zoo.”
Regretfully, this is a typical aspect of chimpanzee behavior that happens both in the wild and in captivity.
The outpouring of sympathy that has occurred since René’s death was announced has given me hope.
