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  • From: Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>
  • To: monkeywire AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [monkeywire] Homer the orang-utan dies of a broken heart
  • Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 17:59:27 -0500

The Mirror
May 24, 2002, Friday

HEADLINE: HOMER DIES OF A BROKEN HEART;
SAD END FOR ZOO MATES

BYLINE: Tom Parry

Homer the orang-utan was devastated when his mate Hayley, who was expecting their first baby, was found dead in their enclosure from an ectopic pregnancy. The next day, grief-stricken Homer was dead too - unable to cope with the loss of his partner. Iain Valentine, the manager of Blackpool zoo, is certain Homer died of a broken heart.

He said: "Orang-utans often go into a deep depression when their enclosure mate dies.

"As a pair these two were inseparable. Watching Hayley die in front of him must have brought on a thrombosis." A third ape, Lomie the gorilla, also died recently, sparking fears that there might be a deadly bug at the council-owned zoo.

The Tory deputy leader of Blackpool Council, Ian Fowler, said: "To lose three apes in such a short period is unbelievable.

"I want to know if there is an infection going round at the zoo." He has asked to see reports of the post-mortems on the three apes and said that a leading vet had been brought in to study the deaths.

Lomie had been suffering from a cancerous tumour on her liver.
Six months ago she was taken by ambulance to Blackpool's Victoria Hospital, where she was wheeled past astonished patients and visitors to have a scan.





  • [monkeywire] Homer the orang-utan dies of a broken heart, Carrie McLaren, 05/28/2002

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