Franklin Park Zoo mourns Mandy the mandrill

Mandy (left) with son Woddie at Franklin Park Zoo in 2005. Her death leaves Charley, her mate, as the zoo's only mandrill. (MATTHEW J. LEE/GLOBE STAFF/FILE)

Mandy the mandrill, a gregarious primate with a brilliant plum-colored rump who had delighted Franklin Park Zoo visitors since 1989, died while on exhibit inside the Tropical Forest, the zoo announced yesterday.

A month shy of her 20th birthday, Mandy was found dead at noon Sunday after a "spunky morning" that included a full breakfast of grapes and apples, said Dr. Hayley Weston Murphy, the zoo's head veterinarian. While the exact cause of death will not be known for months, the 25-pound mammal who was the size of a cocker spaniel had chronic uterine ailments.

Close cousins of the baboon, mandrills are native to the tropical forests of western Africa. They are a favorite of zoos for their vibrant markings: Males have reddish-purple snouts with bright pink stripes, while females have splashes of color on their hairless hindquarters.

Mandy was a tough, smart female who earned the respect of zoo keepers because she "didn't let others push her around," Murphy said. Her death leaves Charley, her mate of almost 10 years, as the zoo's only mandrill.

Keepers have been trying to distract Charley, 16, from his loss, changing his routine, giving him new toys, and playing new nature videos on his VCR.

"He is depressed; they don't like to be alone," Murphy said. "I don't want to say he is mourning, because they don't go through that, but he knows his situation has changed. He's not with another mandrill."

ANDREW RYAN