Guinea oldest chimpanzee had died at age of almost 71, the environment ministry said.

Fana had lived alone as she became less mobile after a bad fall nearly 25 years ago paralysed her left limb, AFP news agency stated.

She lived in a forest around the village of Bossou in the far south eastern corner of Guinea region.

Her death brings the number of Bossou chimpanzees down to six or seven, AFP stated.

The chimpanzees drew international attention in 2009 after researchers found they used stone hammers and anvils to crack open nuts - something that they were not known to do.

Fana was found dead on 19 September and she was buried the next day in the presence of local villagers, the ministry said.

She had been showing signs of exhaustion in recent months, it added.