Chimpanzee Franzl drowns at Munich Zoo

Hellabrunn, the Munich zoo, is sad to announce that Franzl, 22-year-old head of the chimpanzees and general favorite among the visitors, drowned in the enclosure yesterday. According to a spokesperson he took a running leap over the electric fence that separates the outside enclosure from the ditch. Water is used as a barrier between various enclosures and the footpaths, and while chimpanzees have a grip on what water is they cannot swim.

Franzl sank like a stone in front of horrified visitors who immediately alarmed zoo personnel. Two caretakers pulled him out of the water and a veterinarian administered CPR but could not save his life.

The spokesman has no explanation for Franzl’s actions, suggesting that he possibly saw his herd threatened and rushed to its defence. Franzl, who was brought up by hand in Hellabrunn, was a favorite with the visitors, he is described as friendly and confiding, even playing “finger games� with visitors from behind the plexiglass walls and generally interacting with them.

The sting of this sad tale: The water was scheduled to be drained from the ditch in the next few days.

P.S. Do animals qualify for Darwin Awards? In 22 years Franzl never took the plunge, now he met his watery grave in a freak accident.

It all points to a sad case of suicide. Tragic.

Oh how sad. I hate it when animals die needlessly.

Somebody ought to call the zoo and suggest that they put up warning signs to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again.

Ahhh fuck it, I can hear a dozen stories about fuckwits jumping in front of the UBahn, and as long as my train is not delayed, I couldn't give a fuck.

But that really, really sucks. I don't care if he qualifies for a Darwin award, I saw him 10 days ago when I took the gf's kids to the zoo, and am well unpleased.

Warning signs are an excellent idea, maybe Franzl would still be with us if the authorities had been more sensible. Lets burn the zoo down in protest, that'll show them.

Or demand from the City Council that they will not use Hellabrunn in tourist brochures.

Oh No. We saw him yesterday and my boys were giggling because he was doing the finger games thing right at the glass!

Had he been drinking?

Maybe he saw other chimpanzees jumping over the fence and thought it was safe.

I reckon Psioni had been whispering at him through the fence.

Amazing what intelligent mammals think of after 22 years of frustration being held captive. Shades of the Berlin wall... "Finger games" indeed - he's probably been signing his disgust at his situation most of his life, but never met any deaf visitors who understood him.

Apparently his parents are flying in tomorrow to identify the body.

Perhaps someone from TT could offer to meet them and show them around.

You think it's Franzl's demise is bad... well a wasp (we don't know his name yet) kamikazed right into a pot of jam on our dining room table yesterday. Neither of us noticed until late into the evening. Crusoe tried CPR on him but to no avail. We are having problems reaching his relatives since they are all over the garden and all look much the same as him. The body is in a Patterson's (The Friendly Match) matchbox in the fridge and the vet is coming over to do an inquest later on today. He didn't leave a note or anything so it's hard to say why he did it. We are both "gutted" and find this whole thing "awesome". I'll post the funeral details later.

Our sarcasm will always be trumped by reality:




Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung e-paper 18 October 2007

He probably couldn't stand another day of being called "Franzl." I mean, come on, what kind of sick torture is that?

It was one of my Kiddos favorite one!!! very sad

That's really sad Garibaldi. Are you sure it is a he as that's normally a trait of the female? maybe check again and let us know. Is the jam still useable or did his bowels open as he expired... Obviously you could ignite the patterson box for a quick cremation and save the ashes in the jamjar once the jam is finished (better for the environment).

What is the equivalent of 22 chimpanzee years in human ones?

Judging by a life expectancy of 40 to 60 years I would say roughly 45 - 48 human years.

Thanks for your condolences Corcaigh. We're really too gutted at the moment to talk about the whole affair. The most annoying thing for us at the moment are the bloody journalists and awesome camera crews outside the house. It's a he alright. There's a "H" on the left wing and using an old magnifying glass I have been able to make out what looks like a scrotum and a shrivelled penis. No, he didn't do a Saddam on it when he was nearing death. The jam looks OK to me. We have planned cremation along the lines you describe but intend to fill the matchbox with "SWAN" matches and ignite the lot then. Swan seems more appropriate - Swan being a bird and able to fly and the deceased being also a thing of the air. We are having a Waterford Glass container specially made in Ireland for the ashes. The only problem being that the glass is not lead-free. But shure WTF? I'll sign off now since the tears are rolling down my face and I'm wetting myself.

Nice photo of the poor fecker from the SZ.

EB has now signed up an exclusive deal for his life history and all advertising rights

They stuffed and mounted him already?

I'm happy for you Garibaldi. Could you also check the wasp...

Yep Corcaigh, you heaved the pig there.
Nice one - you're sharp today!

I am surprised that Dr Gunther Von Haagens hasn't shown interest too in plasticizing him :-}

Half a year later, the circumstances of Franzl's death are far from being explained. While he was alive and kicking right before he landed in his watery grave, mastering a distance of 6.80m, he was dead before impact as the veterinarian and pathologist found no water in his lungs or abdomen!

What they did find (German link), however, casts a sinister light on what may be classed as monkey business in the chimp compound: A bruise of no less than 30cm diameter on Franzl's thorax such as a boxer might sustain in a competition fight.




Was this cold-blooded murder? Chimp-slaughter? Or possibly a crime of passion? Like so many tragic deaths it is doomed to remain unsolved. Unless the guilty party strikes again ...