Rockhampton Zoo farewells ‘strong, gentle’ 53yo chimpanzee Cassius

Australia’s oldest chimpanzee has passed away at Rockhampton Zoo after spending nearly four decades in their care.

Cassius the chimpanzee has passed away at Rockhampton Zoo aged 53.

Rockhampton Zoo has said goodbye to their beloved chimpanzee Cassius, the oldest male of his species in the entire country.
Cassius was born in Coolangatta in 1971 and lived at Rockhampton Zoo for 39 years.
He originally came to the area with his brother Ockie, who was by his side until he passed away in 2013.

Rockhampton Region Councillor Cherie Rutherford said Cassius was well-loved in Rockhampton.

Chimp Ockie passed away in 2013.

“This news has shattered our entire zoo family, and the community who have loved Cassius for decades,” the Parks, Sport and Public Spaces councillor said.

“At the end of March, Rockhampton Zoo shared an update that Cassius had been struggling with arthritis and dementia and zoo staff were working hard to manage his pain.

“We hoped Cassius had more time, however for his comfort and welfare, we had to say goodbye as we loved him too much to let him suffer.”
Cr Rutherford said he was the oldest male chimpanzee in Australasia at 53 years old.

Rockhampton Zoo team leader Blair Chapman and Councillor Cherie Rutherford with alpha-male chimpanzee Alon in the background.

“Rockhampton Zoo had been Cass’ home since the 1980s, so many people in Rockhampton have grown up with Cassius, who was a beautiful old soul and captured the hearts of everyone he met,” Cr Rutherford said.

“Zoo-goers have loved Cassius since day one and much of this is because of his playful personality.

“Some chimps can take a while to warm up to people, but Cassie’s personality allowed him to warm to people very quickly, zoo staff and visitors alike.

“I know many of you will be grieving his loss just as we are. I want to thank our community for loving Cass and extend my deepest condolences to our zoo staff during this difficult time, knowing how much Cass meant to you.”

Zookeepers and zoo-goers will remember ‘old soul’ Cassius.

Rockhampton Zoo Director Liz Bellward said Cassius was a strong and gentle creature during his decades at the Rockhampton Zoo.

“Cassius had the best possible care, and if there’s any solace to be found, it’s that he wasn’t alone when he passed away,” Ms Bellward said.

“Despite the best efforts of our dedicated vet team, we made the compassionate decision to let Cass go to prevent further suffering.

“He lived a long, remarkable life and we felt incredibly lucky to care for him - his warmth and engagement with both staff and visitors made him truly unforgettable.

“He was also a strong yet gentle member of the troop throughout his time here, always accepting of new members.

“The troop will undoubtedly feel this loss as they all had a strong bond with Cassie. We will be closely observing the troop in the coming weeks to support them.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to our dedicated staff and veterinary teams for their unwavering commitment and professionalism during this difficult time.”