CELEBRITY chimp Choppers is set to have an in-depth story of her life revealed in a study led by researchers at National Museums Scotland.
It comes as the National Museum of Scotland prepares to welcome the return of the biggest exhibition of primate biology ever staged, Monkeys: Our Primate Family, opening on 28 June.
National Museums Scotland describes the first comprehensive osteobiography of a zoo animal, a cutting-edge scientific method that involves the analysis of bones and tissue.
These techniques have been applied to reveal the in-depth story of the life of Choppers, star of the 1970s PG Tips advertising campaign, illustrating the changing role of zoos over the past 50 years.
Choppers, a western chimpanzee played Grandmother Ada Lott in the British television ads when she was still a juvenile.
She had been rescued from poachers in Sierra Leone at just six weeks old before being brought to the UK and going on to appear in the series of adverts and was cared for at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire for over 40 years, until her death in 2016.
Osteobiographies are rarely performed on modern animal specimens and have never been applied so comprehensively to a zoo animal before now.
Choppers’ life has been extensively documented and this combination of archival material and osteobiographical analysis provides the most complete assessment of the life of an animal in zoo care, highlighting advances in zoological practices.
Dr David Cooper, researcher at National Museums Scotland and lead author of the study, said: “Choppers was beloved by audiences across the UK for years.
“Now the innovative application of osteobiographical analysis has allowed us to tell her story like never before.
“Her life is a testament to the many thousands of chimpanzees that were taken from the wild and charts a crucial shift in the priorities of zoos away from entertainment and towards education, conservation, research and welfare.”
Choppers’ skeleton was donated to National Museums Scotland by Twycross Zoo, enriching Scotland’s internationally significant natural science collection which comprises more than 10m specimens and is in constant use for study and research.
Dr Andrew Kitchener, principal curator of vertebrate biology at National Museums Scotland, said: “Natural science collections are an invaluable resource in understanding the world in which we live, offering insight into some of the greatest challenges of our age, from biodiversity loss to the climate crisis.
”Our collections are increasingly reflecting the impacts of human activities both locally and globally, and hence are important for providing evidence of those impacts and how we can mitigate against them.
“We are grateful to zoos like Twycross for their support in developing Scotland’s National Collection, ensuring it remains at the forefront of international research efforts today and into the future.”
The findings of this study paint a picture of Choppers’ key life events, including evidence of traumatic injuries sustained when she was poached from the wild in infancy.
Isotopic analyses of Choppers’ tooth enamel indicate a distinct geographical and dietary shift between the ages of three and four, coinciding with her relocation to the UK.
Choppers’ upper jaw was significantly elongated when compared with that of wild chimpanzees, reflecting an early diet of sugary soft fruit.
Phillipa Dobbs, veterinary services manager at Twycross Zoo said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this incredible work.
“At Twycross Zoo, our commitment to animal welfare extends beyond an individual’s lifetime, and studies like this allow us to ensure they contribute to scientific knowledge.
“Choppers was an important part of our history, and this pioneering research offers new insights into her life and the evolving role of modern zoos.
“By supporting studies like this, we can continue to learn from the past and drive progress in animal care, welfare, science and conservation.
“It’s an honour to be involved.”
