DEATH OF FAMOUS CHIMPANZEE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21707, 14 February 1936, Page 18

DEATH OF FAMOUS CHIMPANZEE

CASEY, OF TARON6A PARK

OLDEST IN CAPTIVITY

{Ron OCB OW» COBBXSPORSENT.) SYDNEY, February 5. Friend of Taronga Park Zoo visitors for nearly 20 years, Casey, the famous chimpanzee, was found dead in his cage, after he had been ailing for only a few days. The cause of death was old age. Casey was at least 27 years of age, and was said to be the oldest chimpanzee in captivity in the world. Casey amused visitors to the zoo, young and old alike, by his quaint antics, and was generally rewarded with gifts of peanuts, fruit, and biscuits. His “star” turn was the simulation of a huge rage when the group of spectators round his cage “barracked” him. The unwary among them was always likely to be the target of bananas that Casey would pluck from the bunch always in his cage and fling through the bars. Another of Casey’s habits was to kill sparrows that came to his cage to pick crumbs from the floor; he would first stun them with bananas unerringly thrown and then squeeze and pluck them. Thousands of people went to the zoo solely to see him, and zoo officials estimated that he was worth at least £SOO a year to them. . Brought from United States Casey was brought from the United States in the first instance by Mr E. S. Joseph, a noted animal trainer. Mr Joseph revisited Sydney many years after he sold Casey to the zoo and, going to see Casey* he was recognised affectionately by him. This ability to recognise animal experts was more recently demonstrated when Casey, spoken to in the language of the jungle by Mr Cherry Kearton, famous biggame photographer and naturalist, now visiting Sydney, became tremendously excited and answered with his curious barking noises. Mr Kearton and the chimpanzee carried on quite a conversation for several minutes, amazing the small group of officials!- and privileged visitors who witnessed the incident. The chimpanzee was of a different type from most members of this species, and for that reason was a special object of interest to naturalists. “He seemed to have a strain of the gorilla in him,” said Mr W. J. Brown, secretary of the Taronga Park .Trust. “We shall miss Casey, but we hope to be able to obtain a young pair, male and female, and train them.”