October 03, 2026 - 170 views
The Welsh Mountain Zoo has said goodbye to one of its oldest and most familiar residents after Mabel, its eldest chimpanzee, died at the age of more than 60.
The zoo said Mabel had experienced a short period of age-related decline before she died and described her as a “true matriarch” who had played an important part in life at the Colwyn Bay attraction for many years.
Mabel also made an important contribution to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria's ex-situ breeding programme for the critically endangered Western chimpanzee.
Her family line will continue at the Welsh Mountain Zoo and in other EAZA member zoos, through her son and his offspring, with some of them still part of the zoo's chimpanzee troop.
The animal team described Mabel as wise, resilient and subtle, recalling that she could be “a little cantankerous” in her younger years, while retaining her playful nature throughout her life.
Chimpanzees are among humanity's closest living relatives and are facing significant threats in the wild, including habitat loss, poaching and disease. The Welsh Mountain Zoo says wild chimpanzee numbers have fallen dramatically over recent decades and lists the species as endangered.
The zoo supports the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, which works on conservation, research and education projects in countries including Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Mabel's contribution to the breeding programme therefore forms part of a wider effort to maintain healthy populations of the species in managed conservation programmes.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo, which sits above Colwyn Bay at Flagstaff Gardens, has been home to generations of animals since it opened in 1963. The zoo is the oldest and most established zoo in Wales and is now home to more than 60 species.
For those who cared for her, however, Mabel's importance went beyond conservation.
The zoo said she leaves behind many memories for the people and chimpanzees who shared her life and described her as a “very special member” of its family.
She will be greatly missed by the animal team and everyone who had the opportunity to know her.
