Tammy the chimpanzee, oldest animal at NC Zoo and a ‘character,’ has died at 55
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tammy the chimpanzee, the North Carolina Zoo’s oldest animal, died at 55.
- Zoo veterinarians euthanized Tammy after she showed clear and continued decline.
- Zoo officials said Tammy exceeded the wild chimp life expectancy of 35 years.
Tammy the chimpanzee, the oldest animal at the North Carolina Zoo and a longtime favorite among both staff and visitors, has died at 55.
She had far outlived the 35-year life expectancy of chimps in the wild, zoo officials said Saturday, and veterinarians decided to euthanize her after she showed clear and continued signs of decline.
“Tammy was one of the most special animals I’ve had the honor to work with here at the zoo,” said Director of Animal Health and Chief Veterinarian Jb Minter. “She had a strong personality and didn’t give her trust easily, but when she did, it meant everything. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I’ve faced in my career, but ensuring her comfort and welfare was always our top priority.”
Tammy came to Asheboro in 1992 from the Potawatomi Zoo in Indiana. She had three offspring while there and two more at the NC Zoo: Maki, who has since died, and Ebi, now at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas.
In her time at Asheboro, she became known as both a leader and mentor in the chimpanzee troop, zoo staff said, particularly in helping Kendall, a chimp retired from the entertainment industry, adjust to new life among his species.
“Tammy really was a one-of-a-kind chimpanzee,” a staffer said in a zoo Facebook post Saturday. “The alpha female in Kendall’s troop, she was kind and gentle toward both her groupmates and animal care team. Tammy was fiercely loyal and took a while to warm up to new staff, but once she accepted you, you really felt like you were part of a special little club.
“She was a fantastic mother, grandmother, and mother-figure to the youngsters in her life, often seen play-tapping or tickling them,” the staffer continued. “Tammy’s favorite things in life were eating lettuce, swaying to music, and curling up in a warm blanket.”
Tammy caused a brief stir in 1995 when she escaped from her half-acre habitat in spite of a moat and 12-foot concrete walls — a first for the zoo.
During her “walkabout,” the zoo evacuated hundreds of visitors after she was seen walking rapidly along the chimpanzee exhibit and startled an employee into a restroom, The N&O reported.
She was soon shot with a tranquilizing dart and coaxed back into her space.