Wellington Zoo chimpanzee reunites with volunteer after 40 years

A Wellington chimpanzee has had a heart-warming reunion with a volunteer after 40 years.

Jessie, the matriarch of the zoo's population, tried to touch the hand of a woman through the glass as she visited Wellington Zoo on Saturday.

“Jessie came over pretty quickly and it seemed like she knew her,” said a Wellington Zoo spokesperson.

The woman cared for Jessie when she was a baby chimpanzee.

According to Wellington Zoo, chimpanzees are roughly six times as strong as humans and highly intelligent. They can recognise themselves in a mirror, learn sign language and are one of the few mammals that manufacture and use tools.

Jessie, who is turning 42 in July, is Wellington Zoo’s oldest chimpanzee.