It’s amazing how time changes these creatures. Just a few months ago little Roy, the latest arrival at the Sanctuary, who joined us in mid-December last year, was the shy 3 year old new-comer in a totally new world, having been rescued from Southern Sudan and brought here for refuge. Today, he’s a confident member of the group and has found himself a place in the small group’s social structure.

The rains are now gone and the Ewaso Ng’iro River, which passes through the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, has gone back to much lower levels after reaching rarely seen levels with the heavy downpours of the rainy season. As it settled down, it deposited massive amounts of silky soft silt along its banks, which have recently provided an exciting pass-time for the younger chimpanzees at the sanctuary.

Alpha male Ndaronse of the Old Chimps group is still engaged in a battle trying to hold on to the throne, with his son Oscar determined to take over power sooner rather than later! Ndaronse has now resorted to desperate acts of trying to retain his position, as displayed recently when female chimp Cheetah was on oestrus. Ndaronse, desperate to display himself to the females that he was still the main guy,...

The recent (and actually still current) rains, the consequent wet ground and the heavy morning dew on the long grass have completely changed the chimps’ daily morning routines. The old-chimps group, who occupy the bigger enclosure, are now spending the first half of the mornings perched up on the climbing platform in the middle of the enclosure, swinging about and scrambling for turns in the two large hammocks.

The rains are back and the river is flooded and roaring. The chimps are enjoying the plush green with the new fresh shoots on the grass and the sound of the river. I was watching them walking back reluctantly to the house the other evening when Tess came along with her 5 year old daughter Joy, having just taken a long walk back along the river - with Joy typically riding on her mother's back - and arrived at the holding facility.

The power struggle continues… Oscar is now really giving his father – alpha male Ndaronse – a run for his money! At his age Oscar has successfully defeated all high ranking females and senior males. Most of his achievements have been largely contributed to by his mother Judy, who is the highest ranking female. Oscar’s father Ndaronse has also always been in favor of Oscar whenever he would intervene in a fight.

Ndaronse has been alpha male in his group of twenty-four chimpanzees for more than a decade, having been very successful at dethroning Safari who had been in power for a very short time. But recently, things are changing as age is catching up with him and younger, stronger, more intelligent males are coming up and challenging his position, in an effort to get a taste of the coveted life on the throne.

Roy, the new baby chimp, has just completed a successful first phase of his introduction, and is now spending his days outside with the rest of the juvenile group. Part of his orientation in the room involved the “fence-training” procedure in which a small frame fitted with wires resembling the outside enclosure’s electric fence, is put in one corner of his room and charged with just enough voltage to make it slightly uncomfortable to touch.

 

Roy’s introduction took off with a bang last Wednesday when he was introduced to an equally playful Romeo in his room for the day. We watched in wonder as the two hit it off promptly, running around excitedly at incredible speeds for most of the day. For Roy this was probably the most unforgettable day of his life so far, as it was likely his first ever direct contact with another chimp since the loss of his mother.

We were all excited on the 14th of Dec to finally receive the new baby chimp Roy at the sanctuary. Two year old Roy arrived from Nairobi to a warm welcome from the other chimps who all gathered near the fence to have a glimpse at the newcomer. Once in his new room he ran around excitedly as he familiarised himself with his new surroundings and played with Steve Mukundi, my colleague who had spent some time caring for him while at quarantine in Nairobi.