Betty, Dublin Zoo’s longest resident and oldest chimp in human care, dead at 62 — rest in peace

Betty, the chimpanzee that had been at the Dublin Zoo for the longest and the oldest living chimp under human care, passed away last week at the age of 62. She was one of the zoo’s most cherished and well-known inmates.

A zoo blog article claims that Betty had age-related ailments that were impairing her quality of life, and the tough choice to end her life was made to spare her from suffering in the future.

Although it is heartbreaking to lose Betty, she enjoyed a lengthy life that exceeded the average lifespan of a chimpanzee in captivity. According to the zoo, she was also the oldest chimpanzee in human care at the time of her death.

Team leader Helen Clarke Bennett of Dublin Zoo, who has worked as a zookeeper since 1987 and has known Betty for many years, paid tribute to her.

In 1964, a West African chimpanzee named Betty made her way to Dublin. Bennett notes that Betty participated in archaic practices like “Chimp Tea Parties” and that the Dublin Zoo continued to operate in the “style of the early Victorian era zoos” throughout that period.

Betty saw major advancements in zoo standards throughout her decades-long confinement. For example, in the 1990s, the chimp habitat was transformed from a metal-barred concrete “pit” to an island with trees.

Bennett claimed to have known Betty since the zoo’s early years since Michael Clarke, Betty’s father, was looking after her at the time. The chimp was “always strong-minded,” according to him, and would not give up on her goals.

After Wendy moved in 1964, Betty’s best friend, Wendy, became an integral part of her life for the majority of it. One of the cutest pairs in the zoo was formed by the two monkeys.

“Wendy had a cheeky side, but Betty could hold her accountable!” Bennett penned the piece. “When Wendy was obstinately refusing to go outside while the habitat was being cleaned, Betty putting her arm around her to encourage her to go outside with the rest of the troop will always be one of my favorite pictures.”

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Betty and Wendy celebrated their 50th birthdays together in 2012 at the zoo. The zoo workers believed that Betty, who was devastated by Wendy’s death in 2014, wouldn’t be far behind.

She even managed to live on for a further ten years, rising to the rank of dominating female chimpanzee and earning the title of longest-serving inhabitant of the zoo.

Bennett stated that Betty experienced reduced kidney function and chronic arthritis in her latter years, which affected her weight and mobility. She was also under continuous wellness management.

They had to make the tough but humane decision to end the beloved chimp’s life after all medicinal and surgical alternatives had been tried. Even though Betty is no longer with us, she will always be cherished as a unique original and a zoogoer’s favorite for many decades to come.

“Although I am really saddened to bid farewell to a friend I have known since I was a young child, I am sure that Betty’s euthanasia was the right choice, ensuring that she didn’t suffer needlessly and preserving her dignity to the very end. That gives me a great deal of comfort,” Bennett wrote.

“Everyone here at Dublin Zoo as well as the many generations of visitors who were fortunate enough to know her will miss Betty terribly; there will never be another like her.”

Peace be with you, Betty. You lived a very long life, and it’s obvious that your loved ones and caregivers cherished you.

Woman takes sneak photo behind old man: Reveals what waitress is doing with his food

It’s a common belief that today’s kids lack regard for their elders. That is absolutely true in some cases; young people ought to be more appreciative of those who contributed to the creation of our nation as we know it now.

It’s not always the case, though. Young people engage in a variety of daily activities that are deserving of greater attention.

One such tale is this one. My goal is that we can assist in its propagation such that it creates pond ripples that eventually impact a great deal of people.

In 2018, Evoni Williams, who was then eighteen years old, performed her regular shift behind a counter at Waffle House in Houston.

It was there that she saw an old man who needed an oxygen tank to assist him. He was having trouble slicing his food. Evoni tried to assist the elderly man, whose hands were not functioning as effectively as they used to.

A customer named Laura Wolf wrote, “She took his plate and started cutting up his ham without hesitation.”

She posted a photo of the incident to Facebook since it moved her so much.

Wolf went on, “To him, this may seem small, but I’m sure it was huge.”

“As everything in this world looks so terrible, I’m thankful to have observed this gesture of love and caring at the start of my day.”

US news sites report that over 40,000 people have shared this act of kindness on Facebook, about a week after it was done.

Additionally, the Texas Southern University School quickly received the photo and reportedly extended an offer of a $16,000 scholarship to Evoni.

For Williams, who graduated from high school in May and has been working at Waffle House to raise money for college, it was a present that changed his entire life.

The kid claimed she didn’t think her behaviors were unusual, but she was honored to get the compliments and admiration.

Williams admitted to the Houston Chronicle, “I didn’t know the photo was taken until a couple hours later.”

The eighteen-year-old said it was clear she should be assisting the elderly man.

“It’s just something I would do for anybody, when I saw it.”

Such tales give one a great sense of warmth. Evoni, more exceptional people like you are needed in the world.
It’s fantastic that this kind deed resulted in a scholarship. Kindly post this narrative on Facebook. It will encourage more people to give to charity in their daily lives.

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