Project Chimps

Dear Chimp Friend, As the holiday season approaches, it’s a great time to reflect on the incredible changes and moments of joy that are possible thanks to your steadfast support. That’s why we’d like to share how you’ve made a difference for our oldest resident: Rusty. When Rusty first arrived at Project Chimps, we noticed something unique – his voice. It’s hard to describe really but Rusty…well, Rusty roars. Now, we may not know what dinosaur vocalization sounded like but, if we had to imagine it, we’d imagine they sounded like Rusty. We don’t know exactly what gave Rusty this unique vocal tone, but we have a good guess. A published medical study from 2010 lists Rusty as one of the test subjects in an airway gene therapy study. We know that chimps in that study were repeatedly subjected to sedations and having their airways “brushed” to deposit or collect samples. This repeated agitation of his throat could have resulted in Rusty’s chronic hoarseness, giving him his characteristic roar. Rusty doesn’t seem to have much trouble communicating with his fellow chimps but is a bit of an introvert. When his group is in the middle of a disagreement or roaming the habitat, Rusty can usually be found somewhere out of the way. He may be inside taking a nap, examining his caregiver’s boots, playing peek-a-boo with his caregivers or even be off by himself. He loves hanging back in the bedrooms and playing with Roxy and Luke on rainy days when the rest of the group hangs out on the porches. Like many of the chimps, Rusty is a big fan of oranges and other fruit, but not corn (we think he doesn't like it getting stuck in his teeth). He likes many of the toys we provide but he absolutely loves when they include snacks! He really enjoys poking challenging food puzzles as well as scavenging for treats he might have missed hiding in the hay. Next April, Rusty will be celebrating his 40th birthday. While chimps in captivity can live into their 50s, for older chimps like Rusty who spent so many years in research, 50 may be out of reach. Simply put, their heart muscles have been put under a lot of strain with frequently repeated sedations and other organ functions may have been compromised as well. So, 40 is a great birthday to celebrate! For Rusty, our care team wants to honor his unique roar and throw him a dinosaur extravaganza. This might include small dino themed edible treats as well as large cardboard dinosaurs that our Celebration Committee creates and stages in the habitat. Imagine Rusty and his fellow chimp friends getting to knock over a T-Rex! With your support, we can look forward to giving Rusty his best life, no matter how much longer he might have with us. A life where we can forget how he came about his unique voice and where we can look ahead at how we can celebrate him for it. Because of you, these moments of hope and inspiration happen at the sanctuary every day. Your generosity provides Rusty and his friends with nutritious food, warm blankets, fun toys, and soon, the joy of experiencing a milestone birthday in sanctuary. It's because of you, Rusty has the chance to be the best version of himself and continue to look forward to life after research. As we enter this season of giving, we invite you to be part of Rusty’s story and the countless moments of transformation happening at Project Chimps. Your donation, no matter the size, truly makes a difference in their lives. You can help Rusty and the other 94 chimps at the sanctuary experience the life they deserve. Happy holidays from all of us, Ali Crumpacker Executive Director