Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Beloved by her chimpanzee family and human caretakers, a 38-year-old Chimpanzee at Zoo Knoxville has died.

“We had to make the unfortunate decision [Thursday] to euthanize Binti,” said Phil Colclough, Director of Animal Care, Conservation and Education for Zoo Knoxville in a video release today.

The decision came after caregivers at the zoo noticed Binti ailing earlier in the week; they observed she was very pale and lethargic, and an examination by the veterinary team revealed internal bleeding and a large mass on her liver.

Zoo officials said Binti was surrounded by her human care team until the end on Thursday, and she was returned to Zoo Knoxville to allow the chimpanzee troop time to grieve before her body was taken to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine  for necropsy.

Director Colclough says Binti leaves behind a wonderful legacy at the zoo.

“She contributed to the population of chimps under our care with Stevie. That’s a really important thing. They’re as a species aren’t doing well in the wild; they’re critically endangered because of poaching and habitat encroachment. So, it’s really important that we maintain these populations under human care, and she contributed to that.”

Binti has spent 15 years at Zoo Knoxville after coming from the Cleveland Zoo in 2008. She gave birth to Stevie, a female chimpanzee, in April 2022.

Zoo Knoxville said that Stevie is being raised by her two surrogate mothers, Daisy and Jambo, as Binti was unable to care for her immediately following her birth.

Stevie continues to grow and thrive under the watchful eyes of Daisy and Jambo.