Rest in Peace, Dorothy
Having managed to survive the horrors of an estimated 25 to 40 years of captivity and exploitation as part of a daily amusement-park parade, Dorothy the chimpanzee died peacefully of old age at In Defense of Animals (IDA) Africa‘s Sanaga-Yong Center in Cameroon last month.
Following the first armed confiscation of primates in Cameroon, Dorothy was freed from her confinement at the amusement park and taken to Sanaga-Yong in 2000.
So touched by Dorothy’s life and parting, staff members and chimpanzees held a funeral service to honor and remember her. Dorothy was buried beside the enclosure she had called home, near the tomb of her friend Becky.
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In her memory, we have donated money to help construct a raised platform above Dorothy’s former home. The platform will allow visitors to the center to see into the forested enclosure and reflect on Dorothy’s life, both at the center and before her stay there.
Written by Sean Conner
