If only it was as easy as saying, “Hey Jimbo, remember us?”

Unfortunately, for the three female chimpanzees that made the move last week from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to Tennessee’s Knoxville Zoo, they’ll have to wait a little bit longer before they can enjoy their new digs.

Tom O’Konowitz, spokesman for the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, said the chimps arrived safely Friday night in Knoxville after enduring a 12-hour drive to Tennessee, but they are being held in a routine quarantine before they’re introduced to Knoxville’s troop of six chimpanzees, including a male, Jimbo, who was their longtime companion in Cleveland until he moved in 2006.

“It’s a delicate process when you introduce a group of chimpanzees to another group,” O’Konowitz said. “But the way it’s set up, they can see Jimbo, their old friend. There’s no doubt they should remember him.”

Ranging in age from 23 to 34, Bo, Binti and Jackie, have spent most of their lives in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Zoo carefully weighed the decision to move its chimpanzees, knowing they’ll be able to enjoy a larger habitat and a spacious outdoor exhibit area in Knoxville, O’Konowitz said.

The move was also recommended by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan Committee, which guides the long-term care and placement of endangered chimpanzees throughout North America.

A Cleveland zookeeper has remained with the animals at their new “Chimp Ridge” home to help ease the transition and to allow Knoxville keepers to learn about the chimps’ individual habits and behaviors.

“We wanted a familiar face with our chimps to help make the transition a smooth one,” O’Konowitz said. “But it could take weeks or months before the (Cleveland) group adapts to the new group.”

The Knoxville chimps are three females and three males. The fact that Jimbo was able to acclimate so well with the group is a good sign that the other chimps will be able to do the same, O’Konowitz said.

“We’re not predicting major issues with adaptation,” he said. “Knoxville has had success with bringing in groups. We’re very hopeful it’ll go smoothly.”

The chimps’ old exhibit in the Primate, Cat and Aquatics building in Cleveland will become the new home to some of the zoo’s Hamadryas baboons, O’Konowitz said. Future plans for the exhibit could include expanding it to allow for additional gorillas to join the zoo’s current population of two.

Contact Stephen Szucs at 329-7129 or sszucs@chroniclet.com.            

 

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---