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24th July 2024
10:58am BST
Dublin Zoo has paid tribute to its longest-standing resident, 62-year-old chimpanzee Betty, after she passed away this week.
Betty was the oldest living chimpanzee in human care and the difficult decision to euthanise her was made due to her declining health and to 'ensure she avoided any future discomfort'.
Arriving in Dublin Zoo in 1964, Betty was a part of the Victorian-style chimp tea parties, "a relic of the bygone times," according to Dublin Zoo team leader Helen Clarke Bennett.
“There will never be another like Betty, and she will be missed dearly by everyone here in Dublin Zoo as well as the many generations of visitors who were fortunate to know her.”https://t.co/6E0bzw5Vzz pic.twitter.com/XGbG39s7aE
— Dublin Zoo (@DublinZoo) July 23, 2024
Ms Clarke Bennet paid a heartbreaking tribute to the late Betty, explaining that she first encountered her in the 1970s during visits to the zoo with her father, who looked after the chimpanzees at the time.
Betty arrived to the zoo with another chimp called Wendy, who were inseparable during their time together.
"Betty and Wendy were lifelong friends, inseparable up until Wendy’s passing in 2014," the statement continued.
"One of my favourite images will always be that of Betty putting her arm around Wendy to encourage her to go outside with the rest of the troop, when Wendy was stubbornly refusing to leave while the habitat was cleaned."
In 2012, Betty and Wendy celebrated their 50th birthday together, with crowds of people turning up for the party in their honour.
In her later years, Betty experienced chronic arthritis and declining kidney function, which affected her mobility and weight, leading to the decision from the Dublin Zoo team to euthanise her.
"While I’m incredibly sad to say goodbye to a companion I’ve had since childhood, I’m confident that euthanising Betty was the correct decision, ensuring she didn’t suffer unnecessarily and allowing her to keep her dignity to the very end. I take huge comfort in that," said Ms Clarke Bennet.
"There will never be another like Betty, and she will be missed dearly by everyone here in Dublin Zoo as well as the many generations of visitors who were fortunate to know her."
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