Chimpanzee sent to Kenyan sanctuary to learn to live with apes is beaten to death by fellow chimps

A chimpanzee who was sent to a Kenyan sanctuary to learn how to live with apes after spending its whole life with humans has been beaten to death by fellow chimps. 

Four-year-old Baran died only months after she was transferred from Eram Park Zoo in the Iranian capital of Tehran to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Laikipia, Kenya. 

She had completed a 90-day quarantine and was in the second phase of her introduction to the sanctuary – remote contact with the other chimpanzees.  

Baran managed to break the lock on her area and entered the zone with the chimpanzee family she had been introduced to remotely. 

The other chimpanzees attacked the four-year-old, leaving her seriously injured. Zookeepers managed to end the violence but were unable to save Baran who later succumbed to her injuries. 

aran died only months after she was transferred from Eram Park Zoo in the Iranian capital of Tehran to Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Laikipia, Kenya (pictured)

Baran was moved to Kenya in the summer because it was deemed unhealthy for her to continue to live isolated from other chimpanzees.     

She was raised by humans after her mother rejected her because she was born prematurely and therefore more difficult to care for. 

As a result, vets took her from her mother and slowly nursed her to strength to the point where they felt she could be returned to her parent. 

By then, the mother no longer accepted the baby, and because she rejected her, the rest of the group did as well so she was raised away from them and hand fed by zoo vet Eman Memarian. 

Baran was moved from Iran (pictured, a farewell ceremony in Tehran) to Kenya in the summer because it was deemed unhealthy for her to continue to live isolated from other chimpanzees

Baran  was raised by humans at the Eram Zoon in Tehran after her mother rejected her because she was born prematurely and therefore more difficult to care for

The zoo later decided to transfer Baran to another animal park to help her physical and emotional development after Memarian became worried she would be stunted by her lack of contact with other chimpanzees. 

With the possibility of introducing her back into her own troop no longer an option, they decided to link up with specialists with extensive experience in reintroducing chimps into family groups, and contacted the Kenyan chimp sanctuary. 

A spokesperson for Eram Zoo said: ‘Chimpanzees are social creatures who must live in their social groups to acquire the necessary skills for a healthy and natural social life.’

Parviz Ghandali, zoo director, said at the time: ‘Although Eram Zoo was able to save Baran, it was decided that she needs to be transferred to the international chimpanzee care centre in Kenya because she can live better with necessary facilities and environment.’

Baran managed to break the lock on her area and entered the zone with the chimpanzee family she had been introduced to remotely. The other chimpanzees attacked the four-year-old, leaving her seriously injured. Zookeepers managed to end the violence but were unable to save Baran who later succumbed to her injuries