Zoo visitors watch as baby chimpanzee killed by adult chimpanzee

L.A. Zoo visitors watched in horror as a baby chimpanzee was killed Tuesday afternoon by an adult male chimpanzee.

“Chimpanzee behavior can sometimes be aggressive and violent, and the zoo is sorry that visitors had to be exposed to this,” the zoo said in a statement.

“This is a heartbreaking and tragic loss for the zoo and especially the Great Ape Team who have worked diligently to care for the infant and its mother since its birth,” the statement said.

The chimpanzee, which was born in March, was killed in a habitat with other chimps, the zoo said in a statement.

The baby chimpanzee had been gradually introduced to the chimps in the habitat, but there were no indications of problems, according to zoo officials.

The mother is named Gracie, and she was being allowed to keep the baby overnight so that she could have time to grieve, the zoo said.

-- Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times