Chimpanzees' immediate responses to the death of a group-member have rarely been described. Exceptions include maternal care towards dead infants, and frenzied excitement and alarm following the sudden, traumatic deaths of older individuals [1-5]. Some wild chimpanzees die in their night nest [6], but the immediate effect this has on others is totally unknown. Here, with supporting video material, we describe the peaceful demise of an elderly female in the midst of her group. Group responses include pre-death care of the female, close inspection and testing for signs of life at the moment of death, male aggression towards the corpse, all-night attendance by the deceased's adult daughter, cleaning the corpse, and later avoidance of the place where death occurred. Without death-related symbols or rituals, chimpanzees show several behaviours that recall human responses to the death of a close relative.

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Chimpanzee nesting behaviours and the factors that may influence these behaviours are rarely studied in captive settings. In the present study, the daytime associations, sleeping site selections and nesting groups of 11 zoo-housed chimpanzees over a 29-day period were analysed. Neither daytime associations nor presence of kin influenced sleeping site selection in females. Daytime associations did influence sleeping arrangements in males. Nighttime spatial arrangements and individual preferences for specific sleeping areas were broadly comparable to nesting patterns reported in free-living chimpanzee communities. In the interests of captive ape welfare, we conclude that exhibits should incorporate multilevel nesting areas and a choice of several potential sleeping sites.