Cheetah, Tarzan's chimp, dead at 80

Cheetah, beloved chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the 1930s, died on December 24 at the ripe old age of 80. Cheetah had been a long-time resident of the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Florida. The cause of death was kidney failure.

Maureen O'Sullivan, Johnny Weissmuller and Cheetah in Tarzan the Ape Man. (AP)

What makes this noteworthy is that the average lifespan of a chimp is between 25 and 35 years, while chimps in captivity may live between 35 and 45 years.