An Edinburgh Zoo chimp dies after suffering severe injuries in fight (Picture: Edinburgh Zoo)

A chimpanzee has died at Edinburgh Zoo after a fight broke out in its enclosure.

Rene, a male ape, was severely wounded during a fight with members of his troop and later succumbed to his injuries, a zoo authority said.

A spokesperson said: ‘Our expert keepers did everything they could to separate the fight and keep the rest of the troop safe, but sadly Rene’s injuries were severe,’

‘Rene was a huge personality and will be missed by those who cared for him.’

A second chimpanzee named Qafzeh was also injured during the brawl and required emergency surgery.

‘After a surgical operation it is doing well and is gradually being reintroduced to the group,’ they added.

Chimpanzee dies in Edinburgh Zoo after being attacked by its troop, the BBC reports.

It is said the fight was caused by aggressive behaviour of the type which ‘occurs in the wild, especially around breeding time when females are in season and when males are challenging for dominance of the group.’

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