Zoo’s five-week-old chimp who went viral dies

Kucheza was found cradled in his mother’s arms by keepers at Sedgwick County Zoo

A five-week-old chimpanzee who went viral with its mother has died, according to a Kansas zoo.

Kucheza, who became a social media darling after enjoying a tearful reunion with his mother after a difficult birth, was found dead at Sedgwick County Zoo.

Zoo officials said the chimpanzee was found cradled in its mother Mahale’s arms by keepers on Thursday morning.

“She was still holding him when keepers came in this morning. She has since laid him down in the nest, but refuses to leave him,” said Jennica King, the zoo’s director of strategic communications.

Mahale had undergone an emergency C-section on 15 November, and Kucheza, which is Swahili for “play”, was taken from her for two days to be cared for by the zoo’s vets.

Their emotional reunion and the moment Mahale was able to first hold her baby was captured on video by the zoo and went viral with the heart-warming video shared by the likes of Hollywood star Chris Evans.

“In his few short weeks of life, Kucheza brought joy and light to so many, and sparked an opportunity to educate the world about chimpanzees, the dangers they face in the wild, and most importantly - why we should care,” the zoo said in on Facebook.