Wichita, KS – The baby chimpanzee at the Sedgwick County Zoo who became a social media star over the past several weeks has died, according to zoo officials. Zookeepers found the chimp dead, cradled in his mother arms.
The newborn ape became a viral sensation following his cesarean birth and the reaction of his mother to seeing him for the first time:
The Zoo released the following statement:
Sedgwick County Zoo is extremely saddened to announce the sudden passing of five-week-old chimpanzee infant, Kucheza.
The animal care team found Kucheza deceased, and cradled in his mother Mahale’s arms, when they arrived at the Zoo this morning. Mahale is not quite ready to part with him, but when the team is able, a full medical assessment will be done to determine the cause of death.
Mahale’s love for Kucheza was and will continue to be felt by billions of people around the world. In his few short weeks of life, Kucheza brought joy and light to so many, and sparked an opportunity to educate the world about chimpanzees, the dangers they face in the wild, and most importantly - why we should care.
We’ll continue to share these messages and inspire respect and conservation for Kucheza’s wild counterparts in his honor.