MIAMI (AP) — Visitors found Booco the chimpanzee dead in his habitat at Zoo Miami.
Zoo spokesman Ron Magill tells the Miami Herald that reports of the unresponsive chimp came in Monday afternoon and zoo staff quickly closed off the area to the public.
Magill says Bocco appeared with the rest of his chimpanzee troop around 2 p.m. Monday during a Keeper Talk at the zoo. He was found dead at 3:45 p.m. Magill says "it was terrible to see the other chimps around him prodding him, trying to get him to move."
Bocco had not shown any signs of illness before Monday. Magill says Bocco was born at the zoo on March 22, 1990. Chimps tend to live 50 to 60 years.
A necropsy is being conducted on Tuesday.
“Bocco,”a 28 yr old male chimpanzee has suddenly died.He had a personality that endeared him to all who had the privilege of knowing him.We hope tomorrow's necropsy will give us answers.Until then, the staff & the chimpanzee troop will mourn the loss of this charismatic animal.💔 pic.twitter.com/RrE9krym6w
— Zoo Miami (@zoomiami) August 28, 2018
