Chimpanzee dies in Alipore zoo

KOLKATA - A 24-year-old male chimpanzee housed in the Alipore zoo here died Saturday after a prolonged illness, an official said.

“It was due to prolonged illness that the chimpanzee - Tuzo - died today (Saturday),” said Alipore Zoological Garden director Raju Das.

The chimpanzee was suffering from a liver infection and was not eating for the past 10 days. Tuzo’s condition became critical Friday and it died of multi-organ failure, said Das.

Tuzo was brought to the zoo in 1997 from Britain.

The zoo had four chimpanzees a couple of months back but is now left with only two.

Earlier, a 22-year-old female chimpanzee - Jessy - fell from a tree and died April 8.