Bossou, September 27: In a tragic incident, a chimpanzee known for using tools has killed an eight-month-old baby girl in Bossou, Guinea. The chimp, identified as Jeje, snatched the baby, Yoh Helene, from her mother’s arms while she was working in a cassava field near the Nimba Mountains Nature Reserve. The chimp reportedly used tools to maim the baby before harvesting her organs. Yoh Helene's body was later found three kilometres from the reserve.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community. An angry mob brought the baby’s body to the Bossou Environmental Research Institute, where researchers have been studying chimpanzees for decades, reported The Mirror. In retaliation, the mob ransacked the facility, setting fire to equipment and destroying drones, computers, and valuable research documents. Pakistan: Man Mauled to Death by Four Tigers at Sherbagh Zoo.

Chief researcher Gen Yamakoshi warned that the chimps "no longer fear humans," citing at least six recorded chimp attacks on humans in the reserve this year. Local ecologist Alidjiou Sylla attributed the attack to food shortages within the reserve, which has driven chimps out of their protected area in search of sustenance. Wisconsin: ‘Hero’ 12-Year-Old Boy Shoots and Kills Bear As It Mauls His Father in US.

Youth leader Moussa Koya believes the attacks are not intentional but have become habitual among the chimps. Yamakoshi added that such behavior may stem from either food scarcity or sheer excitement, which makes the chimps uncontrollable.

The Bossou chimp tribe, once famous for using tools like stone hammers to crack nuts, now faces a complex and dangerous interaction with local communities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 27, 2024 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).