The San Francisco Zoo announced Thursday it will be transferring its last three chimpanzees to other facilities and placing its decades-old chimp program on hiatus, marking another significant shift for an institution that has weathered a tumultuous year of leadership upheaval, safety concerns, and animal welfare controversies.
Twiggy, a 39-year-old female chimpanzee also known as Connie, will soon be relocated to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, where zoo officials say she'll be reunited with two chimps she previously knew. The transfer, recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, comes as the zoo's chimp population has dwindled from six to three following recent deaths.
The decision arrives amid broader changes at the troubled facility. The zoo underwent a major leadership shake-up this summer after longtime CEO Tanya Peterson retired in August following months of scrutiny. According to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle, Peterson's departure came after Mayor Daniel Lurie called for new leadership and amid a 97% vote of no confidence from zoo workers citing safety concerns.
A Pattern of Losses and Safety Failures
The chimp program's suspension follows multiple primate deaths that have raised questions about the zoo's animal care practices. Most recently, 55-year-old Maggie died earlier this year after a lymphoma diagnosis, preceded by Minnie in 2024 and Cobby in 2021. These losses join a troubling pattern of incidents including the death of silverback gorilla Oscar Jonesy in February 2025, who died after anesthesia complications despite having known heart disease.
According to documents from animal advocacy groups including In Defense of Animals, the zoo has faced numerous safety incidents in recent years. A grizzly bear partially escaped and chased a zookeeper in May 2023, while a young penguin named Handy Harry was killed by what keeper logs described as a "guillotine" door that same year. The 2014 death of baby gorilla Kabibe, crushed by a hydraulic door, continues to haunt the facility's reputation.
Focus Shifts to Endangered Orangutans
"With the recommendation to move Twiggy to Maryland Zoo, primate staff saw her departure as an opportunity to make an important decision – to temporarily halt the chimpanzee program, and focus on another Great ape species, the critically endangered Bornean orangutan," zoo officials stated. The facility currently houses a male and female Bornean orangutan and plans to bring in another female to participate in the Species Survival Plan breeding program.
Bornean orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with fewer than 50,000 remaining in the wild. The species faces severe threats from palm oil plantations, deforestation, and habitat fragmentation in Southeast Asia. Zoo officials say they're also exploring creating a mixed-species habitat where orangutans could share space with endangered white-cheeked gibbons.
Maryland Zoo's Growing Chimp Program
The Maryland Zoo, which will receive Twiggy, has been expanding its chimpanzee program in recent years. According to their announcements, they welcomed a baby chimp named Ivy in June 2024, joining three other juvenile chimps in their troop. The facility participates in the Chimpanzee SAFE program, supporting conservation efforts in the Republic of Congo, Uganda, and other African nations.
The two remaining SF Zoo chimps, bonded males Gombus and Michael, will be transferred together to another facility sometime next year, though zoo officials haven't announced their destination. "As they are a bonded pair, it is important that they be moved together," the zoo stated.
Ongoing Scrutiny and Reform Efforts
The chimp program's pause comes as the zoo attempts to rebuild under interim leadership. Cassandra Costello, hired as chief operating officer in July after Peterson's departure, has become the public face of reform efforts. According to the San Francisco Standard, the zoo received $3 million in city funding that had been frozen pending audit compliance, giving the institution breathing room for repairs and improvements.
The city's audit, launched after Chronicle reporting exposed safety issues, continues alongside the zoo's controversial plans to acquire giant pandas from China by 2026. Critics, including Supervisor Connie Chan, have emphasized that ensuring animal and staff safety must take priority over expansion plans. "It is mission critical for the San Francisco Zoo to have a safe and healthy environment for the wellness of the animals and their caretakers," Chan stated during committee hearings.
Future Uncertain for Historic Program
Chimpanzees have been part of the San Francisco Zoo since its founding, making this hiatus particularly significant. Senior Curator of Mammals Robbie Graham acknowledged the emotional impact, noting that "every loss was devastating, to not only long-time chimp caretakers, Zoo staff and those who grew up with them in San Francisco, but also the remaining chimps."
Zoo officials say they hope to resume the chimpanzee program "within a few years" and eventually build a multi-generational chimp habitat. However, given the facility's ongoing challenges – including what city officials have called "unsafe" conditions and "extremely outdated" infrastructure – the timeline for any return remains uncertain.
The zoo has set up farewell opportunities for visitors to say goodbye to Twiggy in the coming weeks before her transfer to Baltimore. For an institution that has seen its attendance drop 11% amid negative publicity, according to zoo financial reports, the departure of these beloved primates marks yet another chapter in what has become a difficult period of transition.
