Torsten the chimpanzee and what is believed to be his adoptive mother Linda, were killed after they climbed out of the enclosure of the Chimpanzee House in Furuviksparken in Sweden.
A total of four chimpanzees were killed on Wednesday after they escaped from the enclosure in the Chimpanzee House at Furuviksparken in Gävle. Three of them died, while a fourth was injured.
Two of the chimpanzees that died were Linda (42) and Torsten (3), Furuviksparken said in a news release Friday.
– There is an incredible sadness that we all feel right now. These chimpanzees are very loved and what has happened is terrible. We understand that many people are sad and upset at this time and are incredibly sorry this situation could arise, they write.
At the same time, they write that they take “full responsibility” for the situation and that an investigation will be carried out into what happened. Police have sued the zoo for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
According to Aftonbladet, the monkeys were shot and killed because the zoo didn’t have enough anesthetic.
A total of seven chimpanzees have stayed here. Because the employees only partially entered the Chimpanzee House, they don’t have a complete overview of how many died on Friday.
Aftonbladet writes that two of the slain, Santino and Manda, “are lying” in the chimpanzee house. One is confirmed dead, but the other is also feared dead, Furuviksparken writes in a press release.
Challenging action
It was Wednesday that zoo staff discovered that a total of five chimpanzees had come out of the fence. For three days, the monkeys were free inside the Chimpanzee House.
Zoo employees made multiple attempts to enter. Among other things, drones were used to locate the monkeys and armed emergency crews kept a close eye on the Chimpanzee House.
Only on Friday did they succeed.
Aftonbladet wrote on Friday morning that the other chimpanzees are not yet in their enclosures, but zookeepers can reach them through a grate. During the days when the chimpanzees were on the run, the zoo was unable to feed them.
– We will give them heat with fan heaters, we will give them hot food and drink. They like hot chocolate, so they should get it, Furuviksparken owner Annika Troselius tells Swedish news agency TT.
Adopted other chimpanzees
Ing-Marie Persson has been working with monkeys for over 30 years. She tells Aftonbladet that the late Linda was born in Liberia in 1980, where she saw her entire family shot before coming to Furuviksparken.
Persson describes Linda as a wonderful chimpanzee who “adopted other children”. Among other things, Linda is said to have adopted Torsten from her mother Maria Magdalena, who also lives in the chimpanzee house.
Chimpanzees Selma, Maria Magdalena and Tjobbe are said to be unhurt after the crash. The latter two are the parents of the late Torsten, who was born in 2019.
