Chimp Funeral: Apes and Humans Mourn Side by Side
by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts) 
Oct 30th 2009 
     
 photo:
© Monica Szczupider / National Geographic

When a loved one dies, it's not only humans who grieve. This was proven
when more than a dozen chimpanzees gathered to witness the burial of a
member of their ape family, reports the New York Post.

Dorothy, a chimpanzee in her late 40s, died of heart failure at the
Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in West Africa, and according to the
New York Post, was a respected member of the chimpanzee community there.
When her caregiver brought Dorothy's body to her final resting place, the
group of apes came to the edge of their enclosure to watch.  The
chimpanzees quieted their usual chatter and simply stood, holding one
another silently as they bid goodbye to their friend. Understandably, human
onlookers were touched, particularly since they knew this wasn't the first
emotional separation the chimpanzees had experienced.

All the chimpanzees are orphans whose mothers were killed by hunters for
illegal bushmeat, reports the Post. According to the Bushmeat Crisis Task
Force, "the practice of commercial, illegal and unsustainable hunting is
causing widespread local extinctions in Asia and West Africa." Hard to
believe hunters can be so cruel and irresponsible, especially after seeing
just how "human" these chimpanzees can be.

-------------------------

I find this heartwrenching.  It's so clear that chimps feel many emotions,
like humans.  And then to know that chimps are used in cruel psychological
and medical experiments by humans is unthinkable.  We wouldn't do it to the
lowest among us, so why do it to chimps?

I totally agree. Humans can be so cruel. I read a book with my son about a chimp named Lucy and what happened to her after her owner died and she was experimented on; she knew sign language and it was a book based on a true story. My son and I cried alot. He loves animals as much as I do.