Spider monkey at New York zoo dies at age 43, had ‘unusually long life’

A monkey named Spiderman has died at a New York zoo after an unusually long life.

The Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester said Friday that 43-year-old Spiderman was among the oldest spider monkeys in conservation care.

Spider monkeys have a life expectancy of about 25 years. A necropsy confirmed that Spiderman had terminal cancer.

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“For forty years, Spiderman has been an integral part of the Zoo’s conservation mission and guest experience,” Larry Sorel, the zoo director said. “He will certainly be missed and remembered by staff and guests alike.”

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Spiderman was born in 1974 and came to the Seneca Park Zoo in 1977. In his long life, the monkey left quite a legacy. He was the father of 9 offspring, who eventually went to other zoos to start their own families, collectively resulting in 8 second-generation offspring.

The zoo is also home to a female spider monkey, Lucy, who was born in 1975.