This tribute goes to Pip, the chimpanzee who sadly passed away on 17th March 2009 at Monkey World.
Pip was born at the park 15 November 2001 in Rodney's house. Her mum, Cherri, was doing a great job looking after her for the first weeks of her life. Cherri carried her daughter the correct way and Pip looked in safer hands than her older brother Seamus did (born two years earlier). Unfortunately after around the second to third week of her life Cherri began putting her down and walking away, and it seems as though history was about to repeat itself when the keepers had to step in. Jeremy was able to go into the playroom with Cherri - there was no danger as he had a close bond with Cherri as he does with so many of the other chimps. Jeremy had to wait for Cherri to put Pip down again rather than just snatching her away - then that would be dangerous. Cherri then climbbed onto Jeremy and he was able to carry her to the far corner of the room while anoher keeper, Dave, steped inside to quickly take Pip in the just the right moment. This was Pip's rather chaallenging start to life.
Pip was then handreared by Jeremy along with another baby chimp, her half brother, Ben, who was born two months earlier. Pip and Ben would stay at Jeremy's house before moving to the Pavilions to live in the pirpose-built nursery room next to Paddy's adult chimps. Pip was always more confident than Ben, she would approach the mesh to have contact with the adult chimps while Ben would rather hang back a little. In 2003, when Pip and Ben were two years old, they moved to the chimp Nursery for Sally to look after them. Pip and her halfbrother did not have that good chimp social skills and would often slap and nip Sally, but fortunately for them Sally was a used to meeting babies and took it all in their stride.
Even though Ben and Pip settled in the nursery, it too them years to go outside! but eventually in 2006 they did and enjoyed all the pleasures of the outdoor enclosure with their new family. Change came again in February 2008 when, 7 year old Pip and Ben were ready to move out of Sally's nursery and join an adult group. Hananya's group of 18 was the best choice because (a). It was made up of younger chimps, perfect for Ben and Pip to grow up with (b). The proximety of the two enclosures means the same team of Primate Care Staff worked in both groups therefore welcome farmiliar faces (c). Both were originally born in that group so taking them back there seemed a natural option. When vet Joh Lewis tried to dart them, Pip kept escaping the dart, very intelligently!
Pip and Ben moved to Hananya's playroom where they first met their old nursery pals Tutti and Johni before meeting the rest. Pip took the introductions in her stride, even when meeting alpha male Hananya. Hananya accepted Pip almost immediately, being a new female to his group, but took exception to Ben. Pip was reunited with her mum Cherri, but after 6 years apart it seemed unlikely that they recognised each other, but they were definately similar. Pip was strong-willed and confident, just like Cherri. After living in Hananya's group for the rest of the year 2008, in March 2009 Pip was playfighting with another chimp in the group when she got inured on her left knee. On 17th March 2009 Pip was separated into one of the bedrooms in Hananya's House, where Jeremy was able to go in with her to keep her calm. The vet Mike Nathan darted her, but Pip was too agitated and the amount of adrenaline in her body interfered with the anaesthetic therefore they had to dart her twice - and i think it was this over-dose that caused Pip to have a bad reaction all together. It would involve a minor operation to stitch up the wound but once on the operating table, just when the vet was finishing stitching up the wound, Pip stopped breathing and sadly she suffered a heart-attack and passed away. It was an extremely sadenning time.
Pip was such a special little chimp and its very sad that her life ending like that. I miss her sooo much, and im sure so does Cherri, all the Monkey World staff and of coarse her halfbrother and closest friend, Ben.
Rest In Peace Pip
With Love.
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