Boozy chimp sent to rehab

Reuters - A Russian chimpanzee has been sent to rehab by zookeepers to cure the smoking and beer-drinking habits he has picked up, a popular daily reported on Friday. An ex-performer, Zhora became aggressive at his circus and was transferred to a zoo in the southern Russian city of Rostov, where he fathered several baby chimps, learned to draw with markers and picked up his two vices....More

Odd News-Chimp bites off Berlin Zoo director's finger

BERLIN (Reuters) – The director of the Berlin Zoo made famous by the polar bear cub Knut has had his finger bitten off by a chimpanzee called Pedro.

Bernhard Blaszkiewitz, 55, was feeding Pedro walnuts as he showed a visitor round the zoo Monday when the ape grabbed his hand and bit off his right index finger.

"Pedro is the boss of the group so he has to demonstrate a certain dominance in it to prove himself," zoo spokesman Andre Schuele said Tuesday. "Under normal circumstances, a chimp would never have the chance to reach a keeper or our director."

Doctors sewed Blaszkiewitz's finger back on but said it was not clear if the operation would be successful.

Schuele said the incident would have no repercussions for the 28-year-old Pedro.

(Reporting by Jacob Comenetz; Editing by Kevin Liffey)