Only five years old: The chilling farewell of the orangutan to her daughter at the Safari

Tokyo, a five-year-old orangutan born at the Ramat Gan Safari after 11 years without births, died from brain necrosis. Her parents bid her farewell in moments that were documented and stirred emotion. The caregivers allowed the farewell so they would understand she was dead.

Tokyo, a five-year-old orangutan born at the Ramat Gan Safari after 11 years without births of her kind, died from brain necrosis. The caregiving team allowed her parents, Tana and Rahamim, to say goodbye. Her mother lifted the blanket covering her daughter's body, looked at her, and quickly left; her father watched from a distance. Tokyo was born after a long period without orangutan births at the Safari and was beloved by staff and visitors. Caregiver Daniel Dgani explained that the goal was to allow the parents to understand she was dead, in order to maintain trust. Dr. Jacob Dembitzer of Tel Aviv University addressed the question of whether animals grieve, noting that it is difficult to determine with certainty what the animal feels. Tokyo's death is also a loss for orangutan conservation efforts, as they are critically endangered.