‘Groundbreaking’ surgery saves beloved 34-year-old chimpanzee at Tennessee zoo
.jpg "Mwelu, a 34-year-old chimpanzee at Zoo Knoxville, is recovering from groundbreaking spinal surgery, zoo officials said.")
Mwelu, a 34-year-old resident chimpanzee at Zoo Knoxville, is on the road to recovery after undergoing “groundbreaking” surgery to remove a tumor from his spine, zoo officials said.
It is “believed to be the first documented procedure of its kind performed on a chimpanzee,” according to Sept. 26 news release from Zoo Knoxville.
After zookeepers noticed Mwelu showing signs of hind leg weakness, they brought him in for an MRI, which showed “a tumor pressing against his spinal cord,” according to the release.
After additional tests confirmed the cancer had not spread elsewhere in Mwelu’s body, it was determined surgery would be the best way to improve his quality of life and preserve his mobility, the team said.
“This was an incredibly rare case,” Dr. Talisha Moore, a veterinary neurologist, said in the release.
Since chimps are more like humans than cats or dogs, a unique blend of human and veterinary medicine was necessary to find the right surgical approach, experts said.
“Not only have I not heard of this procedure being done in a chimpanzee, I couldn’t find any record of it in the literature,” Dr. James A. Killeffer, a human neurologist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, said in the release.
“I could not be more proud of the many caregivers and medical experts who came together for this historic procedure,” Bill Street, president and CEO of Zoo Knoxville, said in the release.
“Their dedication has given Lu the opportunity for a longer, fuller life while also paving the way for other chimpanzees who may benefit from this groundbreaking work in the future,” Street said.
Experts said Mwelu is already moving better and relishing in the “extra care and attention from his dedicated keepers.”
This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM with the headline "‘Groundbreaking’ surgery saves beloved 34-year-old chimpanzee at Tennessee zoo."
