Lion Country Safari in Palm Springs, Florida suffered a loss of one their beloved chimpanzees this week, announcing the death of Little Mama on Twitter on Tuesday, November 14. Little Mama was the oldest living captured chimpanzee with the biggest heart and will surely be missed.
Mama was in her late 70’s when she passed. She reportedly passed surrounded by her family which consisted of a group of eight chimpanzees and some park employees.
According to Palm Beach Post, the park’s veterinarian believe the cause of death was kidney failure. A necropsy, an autopsy performed on an animal, is set to be performed.
“There was nowhere else on this earth that Little Mama could have possibly been more loved or cared for than here at Lion Country Safari,” said Tina Primate Curator at LCS. #RIPLittleMama pic.twitter.com/kXBiOdxd17
— Lion Country Safari (@LionCountry) November 15, 2017
Along with being the world’s oldest chimpanzee, Mama was a visitor and staff favorite at the safari.
“She held a special place in the heart of anyone who ever had the privilege to meet her. In all ways, Mama was special. It soothes me to think that she will be with us forever, in our hearts and memories,” primate curator Tina Cloutier Barbour told Sun Sentinel.
Mama was also known for snuggling under her blankets on cool safari mornings and always carried a stuffed animal with her. Born in Africa around 1938, Mama came to the safari in 1967 after spending time as a pet. Mama was also believed to be a performer for the Ice Capades, according to Miami Herald.
Common chimpanzees usually have a typical lifespan of 50 years, according to Wikipedia. Mama did not only live a whopping 79 years but brought a lot of love to everyone who knew her.