Well-known chimpanzee loses its fight against cancer

WHITE RIVER – Yesterday was a sad day at Casterbridge Animal Hospital as Nikki, a well-known chimpanzee of Jane Goodall Institute Chimp Eden, had to be euthanised due to cancer.

Veterinary surgeons at the hospital initially thought that Nikki had only been battling an infection and were hopeful that they would be able to treat it.

They were devastated to discover that he actually had acute lymphoma cancer.

His entire abdomen were covered with tumours and they had to take the inevitable decision to put him down.

Nikki made headlines in 2012 when he and fellow primate Amadeus attacked and mutilated Mr Andrew Oberle, an anthropology graduate from America, in one of the enclosures at Chimp Eden.

Nikki was shot during the incident and it was thought that he had been battling an infection in the wound he had sustained.

He had a high fever and lost weight rapidly which spurred his caregivers at Chimp Eden to approach the veterinary clinic for help. Dr Graeme Harman and Dr Daniela Späth agreed to assist with finding out what was wrong with Nikki. Späth told L0wvelder that, “The blood test shows that Nikki has a high concentration of white blood cells, indicating that he is battling an acute and serious infection”.

Some of the Chimp Eden personnel who accompanied Nikki for its treatment told Lowvelder that, although a lot of shrapnel was removed from the chimp after it had been shot, the infection might have been related to the wound it had sustained.

Nikki’s surgery drew a lot of attention, including that of veterinary students from Adelaide Veterinary University in Australia. They are busy with a practical course as part of their studies and is hosted by Wildlife Vets, the business of veterinarian Dr Kobus Raath.

However, as Dr Graeme Harman and Dr Daniela Späth opened up the primate, they were horrified to discover that Nikki actually had cancer.
He was put down on the operating table.

Harman added that Nikki would have died within three weeks.

Ms Jana Kramer, a guide at Chimp Eden, would not comment on Nikki’s death and said that the director would address the media. However, she would not disclose details.

The Jane Goodall Institute’s Chimpanzee Eden is home to chimps that have been misplaced from their natural habitat. It is the South African sanctuary of the world-renowned Jane Goodall.

Nikkie was born in 1994, and kept as a pet and humanised in Liberia, in West Africa. He and two siblings, Abo and Amadeus, were transfered to the Johannesburg Zoo in 1996, where they lived for 10 years.

Lowvelder also reported on Nikki and Amadeus after an attack at Chimp Eden that happened in May 2014.

Read more on an investigation into the attack was also launched with Nikki and Amadeus facing possible euthanasia