• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Tarzan's Cheetah passes

Register to hide this ad
PALM HARBOR, Florida (AP) — A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheetah the chimpanzee from the Tarzan movies of the 1930s
has died at age 80.
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor announced on its website that Cheetah died on Dec. 24 of kidney failure.
Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb on Wednesday told The Tampa Tribune that Cheetah was outgoing,
loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh. She says he seemed to be tuned into human feelings.
Cheetah was the comic relief in the Tarzan series starring American Olympic gold medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller.
Cobb says Cheetah came to the sanctuary from Weissmuller's estate sometime around 1960.
Cobb says Cheetah wasn't a troublemaker. Still, sanctuary volunteer Ron Priest says when the chimp didn't like what was going on,
he would throw feces. :sigh:
 
Didn't they determine this wasn't even one of the 'Cheetah' from the original shows? :scratch2: There have been many err actors that played the part over the years. I thought someone had determined this one could not be one of them.
 
Last edited:
According to the article I read, this chimp came from Johnny Weissmuller's estate.... I'd think it would be the same..
 
Somewhat related; the grandmother of one of my good friends from high school was a junior Olympics swimming hopeful. Her swim coach was Jonny Weissmuller (before he was Tarzan). One day he was messaging her back (she was laying on her stomach) and she could tell something didn’t feel right when he was pushing down. Turned out she had a lump in one breast.

Given this was well before mammograms and such, Tarzan saved her life!
 
Creatures like this are amazing. At Steve Irwin's "Australia Zoo" they had this old Galapagos tortoise from Darwin's voyage. It lived in the UK for several years until it found a home again in the Southern Hemisphere.

A relative in my wife's family still has May Gibbs' cockatoo that is over 100 years old.

Slept under Antartic Beech Trees that are older than Jesus.

Edit: Harriet the tortoise passed in 2006, around 176 years old. A worthwhile link http://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/harriet/
 
Last edited:
Wow...80...Bet they don't often live that long in the wild...I'd say he thought he was a People, & wondered why he had to stay locked up all the time.
 
RIP Cheetah, but I have a different view of chimps after that ordeal where the pet chimp attacked and ate that woman's face and hands. They sorta freak me out now...
 
They should freak you out.. NEVER trust a wild animal, no matter how "tame" they may seem...

I was watching a show not too long ago about these Chimps they kept housed somewhere in Africa or somewhere like that. One had escaped from a locked building... Took them a while, but they found her, but you could tell how cautious and fearful they were of her, even though she seemed tame, and wanted to hold their hands while she walked with her...

My crazy bird that's been around humans all it's life.. years and years is still a wild animal, and he reminds me of that every now and then when for a split second his brain disconnects, and I have to pry his beak off one of my fingers and go patch up the holes.. .even though he loves being petted and attention.. I could tell you strories about a huge snake I had, and when people would bring their small kids over.. .it really made you realize what instincts were, and kept you on your toes..
 
similost said:
They should freak you out.. NEVER trust a wild animal, no matter how "tame" they may seem...

I was watching a show not too long ago about these Chimps they kept housed somewhere in Africa or somewhere like that. One had escaped from a locked building... Took them a while, but they found her, but you could tell how cautious and fearful they were of her, even though she seemed tame, and wanted to hold their hands while she walked with her...

My crazy bird that's been around humans all it's life.. years and years is still a wild animal, and he reminds me of that every now and then when for a split second his brain disconnects, and I have to pry his beak off one of my fingers and go patch up the holes.. .even though he loves being petted and attention.. I could tell you strories about a huge snake I had, and when people would bring their small kids over.. .it really made you realize what instincts were, and kept you on your toes..
Click to expand...



Sounds just like people/humans in the world.
 
Yeah...pretty familar with how seemingly placid wildlife can become irate real quick. But, after that incident, it's more than the normal wild animal cautionary thing. Probably not quite a phobia but exceptionally leery for sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

frankxbe
Lincoln's Town Car is reborn in big MKT crossover
Replies
18
Views
2K
frankxbe
frankxbe
fotno
Elizabeth Sladen RIP
Replies
0
Views
469
fotno
fotno
Snade
Newbies to AK - How to protect and keep them ?
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
3K
wajobu
wajobu
Decatur Greg
Bob Elliott (of Bob & Ray) has passed away
Replies
5
Views
388
RT Fan
RT Fan
j chauvin
Today's GW Find
Replies
7
Views
907
kermit z
kermit z
Back
Top Bottom