A 'much-loved' chimpanzee at Twycross Zoo has died aged 41

William was born at Twycross Zoo in 1982.

Twycross Zoo has shared that one of their chimpanzees has passed away.

The male chimpanzee William has been described by the team as much-loved.

Twycross Zoo said: "Late in the afternoon, our zoo keepers noticed William had passed away in his outdoor enclosure. We are comforted by the fact that William didn’t show any signs of being unwell and was his usual cheerful self, right up until yesterday afternoon. Our veterinary experts are now undertaking a full post mortem to understand more.

"William was born at Twycross Zoo in 1982 and lived to a great age of 41, he was a well-known character amongst visitors, and we know he will be fondly remembered by many. In 2018, along with the rest of our chimpanzee troop, William moved into the brand-new Chimpanzee Eden enclosure, bringing all the Twycross Zoo chimps under one roof for the first time."