Donald

Resident

Donald is a survivor of a pet situation in Georgia, where he and four other chimps spent over a decade in dark, deplorable conditions enduring malnutrition, dehydration, lack of sunlight or fresh air and general neglect. With an estimated birth year of 1974, we speculate Donald was wild-caught as an infant and brought to America through the exotic pet trade. As a young chimp, Donald and companions Zulu, Victoria, Hazel and Debbie, were kept in a human’s home and treated like pets. When they grew too large to handle, they were relocated to a tiny concrete building and were badly neglected for years. In these horrible conditions, the chimps received no medical care, rarely had access to water and were fed a sparse diet of processed food. They had to push piles of paper and their own waste out of the way just to make space for themselves because no one ever cleaned their enclosure.

After their rescue in 1998, Donald and his companions were given the veterinary care they desperately needed then moved to the Primate Rescue Center where they finally found sanctuary and room to roam. Donald is the current alpha-male and the largest chimp in his troop. He can be identified by his large stature, grey back hair, and the speckled skin around his mouth and chin. He is a quiet and diplomatic leader who is not aggressive but instead shows his authority by intervening during fights or accepting submissive gestures from the other chimps. Donald enjoys napping with his favorite gal Martina in one of the indoor tunnels, having a grooming session with Victoria, watching over the sanctuary in the outdoor tunnel with beta-male Ike, and foraging for snacks like peanuts, berries, and popcorn in the chimps’ outdoor enclosure. He is known for making funny squeals and hums when he is relaxing, and enjoys sitting outside in the sun when the weather is nice. He can often be found lying on the low platform in the chimps’ outdoor enclosure, legs splayed in total relaxation. Some of Donald’s favorite foods are leeks, yogurt, red delicious apples, bananas, and oatmeal. His favorite enrichment items are forage/water pools and dolls.