NPR

Watch The Moment A Dying Chimpanzee Recognizes An Old Friend

We may all tear up watching this elderly chimpanzee reunite with a friend at the end of her life — a testament to the complexity of animal thinking and feeling, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Mama celebrates her 50th birthday on May 3, 2007 with fruit and vegetables at the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem, Holland. / AFP / Getty Images

Animal videos are shared online nowadays at a pace that can be overwhelming.

Once in a while, though, a video offers a unique and unforgettable message.

Such is the case with a short video of the chimpanzee named Mama, curled up in her enclosure at the in Arnhem, Holland. Shot in 2016 — but only now coming into wide circulation (I saw it for the first time two weeks ago) — the film shows an elderly ape too weak

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