59-Year-Old Chimpanzee Didn’t Want To Eat Until He Recognized His Former Keeper’s Voice

A 59-year-old chimpanzee dubbed “Mama” was in terrible condition in April 2016, refused food, and was getting ready to pass away until her devoted caregiver Jan van Hooff visited her. Since the colony’s founding in 1972, Jan had known Mama, the eldest chimpanzee and matriarch of the chimpanzee colony at the Royal Burgers Zoo in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

However, the colony’s co-founder and professor of behavioral biology, Jan van Hooff, learned about Mama’s condition one day when she was extremely ill from old age and was unable to even eat. He then went back to see her to give her the final word. According to Laughing Squid, farewell.

The man shared a very special bond with Mama.

The chimpanzee first did not recognize Jan and appeared to be coming to grips with her demise. She was also quite frail.

It took him a while to realize it, but once he did, his feelings were evident to everybody and they are quite lovely.

Mama walked over to hug her old friend with a big smile.