Chimpanzee
HI, MY NAME IS VICTOR
Date of birth: 1982
Place of birth: unknown
Date of arrival at MONA: March 28, 2006
Subspecies: hybrid of Pan troglodytes troglodytes x Pan troglodytes verus
Bought as a pet in France, he lived in solitude until the age of 24. Now he tries to be involved in everything that happens in the group and recover from his years of isolation.
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ABOUT VÍCTOR
His past
He was sold to a couple in France as a pet and after living with them for a few years, they locked him in a cage. As a teenager, he was relocated to a public park in the city of Nancy, where he lived in solitude until he was 24 years old. People who visited the park threw food, trash and cigarettes at him.
The French organization One Voice was the one who gave us the alarm about the sad existence of this chimpanzee. They helped us with his rescue and continue to do so with Victor’s lifelong care.
When he arrived here he was obese and without any muscle mass, given that he was castrated as a child to see if he would become more docile, and the lack of stimuli and exercise in the place where he was. He had to use his mouth to climb, because his weak arms could not support his whole body.
He had a great attachment to a blanket that he hugged and rocked constantly to comfort himself. Also as a chronic stress syndrome he had an obsession with food that he regurgitated and swallowed again and again.
Victor had only seen other chimpanzees a couple of times before and it was always in a traumatic way, and that is why his first associations at MONA were very difficult for him. He constantly shouted for help from the keepers, panicked. During the first months he lost a lot of weight. It took him more than a year to dare to go outside, and when he did, he only used the areas with cement. He took three years to be able to be part of the group.
He is a very high chimpanzee
Victor struggling to get food out of the "browser”
His present
He is now one of the most sociable and affectionate chimpanzees. He loves to play with his friends, tickling and playing tig. Every day when he goes outside, he greets the other chimpanzees with a hug and cries of joy.
His regurgitation behavior has not disappeared yet, but the rocking has reduced a lot. And he has been daring to go outside without a blanket for years now.
His social life
Victor tries to be involved in everything that happens in the group and be accepted. If he has to play, he plays, if he has to join in a fight, then he joins in. He doesn’t seem interested in acquiring a position of power, just in living in peace and having someone to kiss and hug him every day.
Victor likes
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Blankets
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Sunscreen
When he is very focused playing alone and manipulating objects, he sticks his tongue out and curls it upwards
When he arrived he only understood French and the vet had to speak to him in French so that he could have his wounds treated.
Víctor's group: Bilinga
Nico
He is the first non-human primate diagnosed with Chiari Syndrome and this makes him very special.
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Victor
At MONA he finally learned to live with others of his species, after 24 years alone.
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Tom
He was bought from a circus when he was about ten years old because he was no longer fit to perform.
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Cheeta
She impresses everyone who meets her. She is a huge chimpanzee, even larger than many males, but with a very sweet face.
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