Chimpanzee on her deathbed reunites with old friend
There are emotional stories and then there is this story...
Mama was the matriarch of the Royal Burgers' Zoo chimpanzee population in Arnhem, Holland for many years.
She passed away at the age of 59 in April 2016, but not before getting to say goodbye to an old friend.
Jan van Hooff, an 85-year-old professor of behavioural biology at Utrecht University and co-founder of Mama's colony at the zoo, heard that Mama was on her deathbed and was refusing to eat.
Van Hooff went to visit Mama to try and ease her pain. The pair first met each other in 1972.
READ MORE: Discover a chimp's kingdom
What is captured in the video below is raw emotion shared between human and ape. Van Hooff was able to convince Mama to eat and her reaction to seeing him was one which will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.
Mama passed away a week after her reunion with van Hooff, almost as if she was hanging on to say goodbye.
Get your tissues ready, as you are going to need them...
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If you would like to learn more about the role of Mama and how integral she was to the socialisation aspect of the colony at the zoo, the book, 'Chimpanzee Politics', by Frans de Waal contains a first-hand account. De Waal has studied the colony for many years, with his first research taking place in 1974.
Royal Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem
While many of us have mixed views on zoos in general, the Royal Burgers' Zoo tries to do things differently, giving each and every creature a chance at a comfortable life.
The zoo's official website states: 'Our eco-displays emulate unique nature reserves as naturally and accurately as possible, often allowing animals to live in great freedom amidst hundreds of plant species.'
READ MORE: The chimpanzee that smokes a pack a day
Image Credit: YouTube / Jan A R A M van Hooff