Goodbye, Maggie: A Tribute to a Chimpanzee Who Deserved More
Maggie spent most of her 50 years at SF Zoo on a 10x10 concrete island.
This week, we bid farewell to Maggie, a beloved chimpanzee at the San Francisco Zoo for over fifty years, who passed away from cancer. Maggie, nearly 56, arrived at the zoo in 1970:
Dear Maggie,
I write this letter with a heavy heart and profound reflection on your life, which stands as a poignant reminder of our intricate and often troubling relationship with the natural world and the hardships your species endures due to human actions.
The City of San Francisco was entrusted with your care, yet the confines of your environment—a mere 10 x 10 island for much of your life—failed to meet the needs of a being as intelligent and social as you, our closest living relative.
While the keepers at the San Francisco Zoo cared for you deeply, it was ultimately the zoo directors who shaped your world, dictating the conditions under which you lived.
Despite the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) recommending your relocation to a zoo with a larger troop that could meet your dynamic social needs, this advice was not followed. Instead, under the direction of Tanya Peterson, efforts were concentrated on modifying your existing environment at the San Francisco Zoo.
It wasn't until 2019 that your living space was expanded, providing a marginally better setting for your retirement. Tragically, your former enclosure, still woefully inadequate, now confines two equally dynamic orangutans.
Maggie, you were far more than a mere inhabitant of the zoo; you were its matriarch, a subtle yet formidable leader who skillfully managed the dynamics of your troop with both strength and grace, always stepping in to ensure harmony when needed.
As you transition from this world, I take comfort in imagining you in a place free of bars, where your spirit can roam without bounds.
Your life has profoundly impacted many, serving as a powerful reminder of the significant responsibilities we bear. The conversations about your care and the living conditions of those like you persist, fuelled by a fervent hope to deepen our understanding and enhance the lives of animals in captivity.
In your memory, we are actively advocating to improve the conditions for your remaining friends and all the animals at the zoo, striving to ensure their world is far better than the one you knew.
Rest in peace, Maggie.