Betty, Dublin Zoo’s longest resident and oldest chimp in human care, dead at 62

Betty, the chimpanzee that had been at the Dublin Zoo for the longest and the oldest living chimp under human care, passed away last week at the age of 62. She was one of the zoo’s most cherished and well-known inmates.

A zoo blog article claims that Betty had age-related ailments that were impairing her quality of life, and the tough choice to end her life was made to spare her from suffering in the future.

Although it is heartbreaking to lose Betty, she enjoyed a lengthy life that exceeded the average lifespan of a chimpanzee in captivity. According to the zoo, she was also the oldest chimpanzee in human care at the time of her death.

Team leader Helen Clarke Bennett of Dublin Zoo, who has worked as a zookeeper since 1987 and has known Betty for many years, paid tribute to her.

In 1964, a West African chimpanzee named Betty made her way to Dublin. Bennett notes that Betty participated in archaic practices like “Chimp Tea Parties” and that the Dublin Zoo continued to operate in the “style of the early Victorian era zoos” throughout that period.

Betty saw major advancements in zoo standards throughout her decades-long confinement. For example, in the 1990s, the chimp habitat was transformed from a metal-barred concrete “pit” to an island with trees.

Bennett claimed to have known Betty since the zoo’s early years since Michael Clarke, Betty’s father, was looking after her at the time. The chimp was “always strong-minded,” according to him, and would not give up on her goals.

After Wendy moved in 1964, Betty’s best friend, Wendy, became an integral part of her life for the majority of it. One of the cutest pairs in the zoo was formed by the two monkeys.

“Wendy had a cheeky side, but Betty could hold her accountable!” Bennett penned the piece. “When Wendy was obstinately refusing to go outside while the habitat was being cleaned, Betty putting her arm around her to encourage her to go outside with the rest of the troop will always be one of my favorite pictures.”

Betty and Wendy celebrated their 50th birthdays together in 2012 at the zoo. The zoo workers believed that Betty, who was devastated by Wendy’s death in 2014, wouldn’t be far behind.

She even managed to live on for a further ten years, rising to the rank of dominating female chimpanzee and earning the title of longest-serving inhabitant of the zoo.

Bennett stated that Betty experienced reduced kidney function and chronic arthritis in her latter years, which affected her weight and mobility. She was also under continuous wellness management.

They had to make the tough but humane decision to end the beloved chimp’s life after all medicinal and surgical alternatives had been tried. Even though Betty is no longer with us, she will always be cherished as a unique original and a zoogoer’s favorite for many decades to come.

“Although I am really saddened to bid farewell to a friend I have known since I was a young child, I am sure that Betty’s euthanasia was the right choice, ensuring that she didn’t suffer needlessly and preserving her dignity to the very end. That gives me a great deal of comfort,” Bennett wrote.

“Everyone here at Dublin Zoo as well as the many generations of visitors who were fortunate enough to know her will miss Betty terribly; there will never be another like her.”

Peace be with you, Betty. You lived a very long life, and it’s obvious that your loved ones and caregivers cherished you.

My husband chose his mistress over me and our kids, so I taught him a lesson

Exposing your personal life on the social media for the sake of sharing a life lesson might be a difficult decision to make, but TikTok user @tattylomas did exactly that and spoke of how she handled her husband’s infidelity and how she reacted witnessing him ruining their marriage and their family and later regretting it.

She started her story explaining that she and her now ex-husband were high-school sweethearts. She knew he was the one the moment she laid eyes on him years ago. The two proceeded to marry and welcome three children together. But one day out of the blue he told her that there was someone else in his life and that he wanted a divorce.

The TikToker felt like her entire world collapsed. She couldn’t understand how he could wrack their family for a woman he only knew for three months. But he was determined to start his life over claiming he was in love with her and deserved to be happy.

She did all in her power to prevent him from leaving her and the children, but to no avail.

It was then that she decided to put her brave face on and be strong for her kids.

They proceeded with the divorce and she got to keep the house which meant the world to her because they bought it from her grandmother, but ended paying him a hefty payout.

Once everything was over, the TikToker could finally get over her heartbreak. But then, she got a text from her ex telling her he was sorry and he wanted to get back to her. For this woman, that wasn’t an option. After everything he did, she couldn’t possibly take him back, not ever.

In fact, she learned that the woman her husband left her for was a horrible person who crashed his car while driving drunk.

Some time later, the TikToker met someone knew through her sister who was also divorced. She and this new man didn’t plan on getting married, but they got involved in a meaningful relationship.

The woman continued to express how delighted she was to watch her ex-husband suffer the consequences of his actions. “Call me evil or whatever, but he brought all of this on himself,” she added.

At the end of the video, she addressed her husband directly, saying, “So if you are watching this, enjoy your shabby one-bedroom apartment and her broken-down car. Oh, and my new partner and I will think of you on our vacation in Hawaii. I know Hawaii was the place you always wanted to go. Maybe I will send you a postcard.”