Two Former Entertainment Chimps Retire at the Oakland Zoo

The Oakland Zoo , the Houston Zoo, and the Maryland Zoo were recently approached by the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP) about helping fourteen former entertainment chimps find permanent homes. After careful consideration, the Oakland Zoo decided to accept two chimpanzees from a Northern California couple. The animals have slowly been integrated into the chimpanzee group and will retire at the Oakland Zoo.

Oakland, CA (Vocus) August 28, 2010

The Oakland Zoo , the Houston Zoo, and the Maryland Zoo were recently approached by the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP) about helping fourteen former entertainment chimps find permanent homes. After careful consideration, the Oakland Zoo decided to accept two chimpanzees from a Northern California couple. The animals have slowly been integrated into the chimpanzee group and will retire at the Oakland Zoo.

The brothers are named Bernie and Eddie. Eddie is the eldest at 20 years old, and zookeepers say he is the peacekeeper in the group. Eddie has quickly become close with Moses, who used to be the only male in Oakland Zoo’s chimpanzee group. Bernie is a little younger at 16 years of age and was not fond of Moses in the beginning, but the two seem to be warming up to each other.

Blending the two groups of chimpanzees was not an easy task, but zookeepers did a lot of research and took the introductions slow. The entire process took more than two months to complete; however, the end result Lead Keeper, Margaret Rousser, says is “a more natural group of chimpanzees, including several males and females, which means a more natural social structure and increased welfare for all the chimps in the group.” The new chimp group now includes a total of seven primates, three of which are males and four are females.

Visitors may see the new chimpanzees daily between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

About Oakland Zoo
The award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 525 acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland, and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our web site at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.

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