Fort Pierce - Wednesday April 19, 2023: The 'Save the Chimps' sanctuary here in Fort Pierce has taken custody of four new chimpanzees rescued from a failing road-side attraction in Ohio.
Chimpanzees Anna, April, Lucy, and Cash are now safely and more comfortable housed in a large outdoor enclosure at Save the Chimps.
They came from the Union Ridge Wildlife Centera roadside zoo in Ohio that recently lost its license. The Ohio Department of Agriculture contacted Save the Chimps Executive Director Ana Paula Tavares.
“Before I even make a recommendation to the Board for a rescue, our Director of Behavior and Care needs to go visit the chimps to see if they have a chance of thriving within a social group at Save the Chimps.”
Dr. Andrew Halloran found the chimps in a sorry condition. “It was just a nightmare," said Tavares. "The food was just thrown to them on the floor next to their cage, where they would pull the food in once a day. The chimps were so deprived of sun that they were pale. I’ve never seen chimps with white spots on their skin.”
However, Tavares said that Dr. Halloran could see that the Chimps had not lost their ability to care for each other. “They groomed each other the entire time that Dr. Halloran was there. They were playing with each other and caressing with each other, and that’s what’s really kept them alive.”
Following a two-month quarantine, Tavares expects the four new arrivals will fit in well with the other chimps on one of the sanctuary’s twelve chimp islands. “This is our mission. This is what we do and this is what we are here for. So, we’re really, really happy.”