Bocco the chimp’s death at Zoo Miami a mystery
All was fine with Bocco, a chimpanzee at Zoo Miami, at Monday afternoon’s presentation during which a keeper at the facility interacted with him and other chimps in their habitat, giving zoo visitors a chance to watch and ask questions.
Later in the afternoon, shortly before 4 p.m., things turned ominous.
“Animal Science personnel were called to the exhibit when other chimpanzees were gathered around Bocco, who appeared to be sleeping, and were prodding him with no response,” said Zoo Miami’s longtime spokesman Ron Magill.
But Bocco wasn’t sleeping. He was dead.
Bocco was born at Zoo Miami on March 22, 1990. His death at the age of 28 is premature in that it’s not unusual for chimpanzees to live twice that long.
Zoo Miami officials were hoping that a necropsy scheduled for Tuesday will shed light on the cause of Bocco’s death.
“Until then, the staff and the rest of the chimpanzee troop will mourn the loss of this charismatic animal,” Magill said.
He described Bocco’s personality as distinct and independent.
Despite the unknown cause of the chimpanzee’s death, Bocco underwent a medical procedure in February because of “localized swelling that had been noticed in one of his legs,” according to a Zoo Miami posting on Facebook at the time.
Veterinarians at the zoo indicated that Bocco had a family history of blood clots and wanted to determine if any could be found during an exam.
None were found at the time, but zoo officials indicated that, “Bocco is exhibiting typical symptoms associated with heart disease for an animal of his age.”