Edinburgh Zoo chimpanzee dies after troop fight

Rene, 31, suffered severe injuries and could not be saved

A chimpanzee has died at Edinburgh Zoo after it was severely injured in a troop fight.

Staff tried to intervene to separate the primates but they were unable to save 31-year-old Rene.

A second chimpanzee was also injured during the incident last week and had to be operated on.

A zoo spokesperson said: "This type of behaviour occurs in the wild, especially around breeding time when females are in season and when males are challenging for dominance of the group."

They added chimp group dynamics were "incredibly complex".

A second chimpanzee, Qafzeh, required an operation for his injuries.

He is said to be doing well and is gradually being reintroduced to the group.

The statement concluded: "Rene was a huge personality and will be missed by those who cared for him."

Edinburgh Zoo, which is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, is home to 15 chimpanzees.

The primates live in one enclosure called the Budongo Trail.