Do chimpanzees hold funerals? How chimps mourn their matriarch could provide lessons for human mental health

Do chimpanzees hold funerals? How chimps mourn their matriarch could provide lessons for human mental health

In a remarkable display of quiet contemplation, chimpanzees challenged our understanding of grief in the animal kingdom and prompted a re-evaluation of the importance of mourning in human societies

Published: April 2, 2025 at 11:44 am

When chimpanzees at a rescue center in Cameroon gathered to mourn their matriarch, they revealed profound insights into animal emotions and the universal importance of grief.

In Cameroon, a poignant moment unfolded at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre following the natural death of Dorothy, the matriarch, in 2008.

Twenty five chimpanzees from her community gathered in a display of quiet contemplation, a stark departure from their typically noisy gatherings, suggesting a profound sense of loss.

The event was photographed by volunteer Monica Szczupider and the image won a National Geographic competition, reaching millions and sparking widespread astonishment at the human-like expressions of grief exhibited by the chimpanzees.

That grief appears to be experienced by our closest living relatives, and maybe other species across the animal kingdom, prompts a re-evaluation of the importance of mourning and the processing of such emotions.

When the space and ability to mourn is lost in human societies, poor mental health and suffering can occur and the acceptance of life as finite is more difficult.

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