Life's looking better for sad chimpanzee

By DARREL MAGER

Buddy the orphaned chimp is due in Auckland tomorrow, but he faces more time behind bars before he swings from the trees in a wildlife sanctuary.

The 3-year-old offspring of the country's oldest circus chimpanzee, 36-year-old Lola - who died last month just days short of tasting freedom herself - has been rescued from an overseas circus by Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe), which paid thousands for the chimp.

Safe spokesman Gary Reese and Auckland Zoo primate expert Dr Berend Westera are due to fly into Auckland with Buddy tomorrow afternoon.

Dr Westera said the chimp would have to spend a couple of days in quarantine before embarking on a long flight to the Chimfunshi Wildlife Sanctuary in Zambia.

"He's very depressed at being separated from his mother, as any chimp of his age would be, but he seems to have adopted us as his parents for now," he said from Samoa yesterday.

"We've been trying to teach him how to dig in the soil and climb things in order to give him some sort of bush skills for when he gets to the sanctuary. I expect he will be adopted by an older chimp once he gets there."

Cary Ridgway sold Lola and Buddy to Bruno Loyal of Magic Circus of Samoa, who took them to Samoa.

Mr Loyal had agreed to hand over the ageing Lola over to Safe, but she died before the animal rights group could get to Samoa.

Dr Westera could not comment on Lola's cause of death. He had to sign a confidentiality agreement with the Samoan Government to be allowed to do the autopsy.

A Government source said there was evidence Lola had drunk large amounts of water, indicating she was dehydrated and very sick.

Safe had earlier claimed Lola had been kept in a small packing crate in 40-degree heat for a day and a half on arrival in Samoa, which probably contributed to her death.

Mr Reese said Buddy would leave for Zambia on Tuesday, but Safe still needed about $60,000 to cover the cost of flying him there and on-going rehabilitation at the sanctuary.

The group also wants to free Buddy's older brother Sonny, who is still owned by Mr Ridgway.

The number for donations is 0800 SAVE US (0800 728-387).