Celebrating OSCAR’s 14th birthday!
Just two days after Arielle’s birthday, Project Chimps is thrilled to celebrate another of the youngest chimps at the sanctuary! Oscar first arrived at Project Chimps in 2018 when he was just 7 years old. This year is extra special because it’s the first time he’s spent as many birthdays in sanctuary as the lab! We can’t wait to wish him a happy 14th birthday and share some of what makes him special!
Oscar is the second youngest chimpanzee at Project Chimps, just a few months older than his fellow groupmate Kivuli. He and Kivuli were thick as thieves when they arrived, but recently that’s come with a new meaning. Lately, Oscar’s been trying to impersonate Kivuli to try and trick his caregivers into giving him a little extra chow!
Oscar was one of the first chimps in his group to go outside at Project Chimps and is great at using tools. Over the past year, he’s been having a great time flexing his social skills and keeping everyone on their toes. He both pushes boundaries and causes drama as well as helping and settling disputes. Sometimes, he’s even a bit of a wallflower. His caregivers say it’s hard to pin down what he’ll do next, because it seems like he’s not sure himself!
Like most growing male chimps, Oscar loves all things food. One of his personal favorites is corn, but he prefers his corn pre-shucked. (The husk is too stringy for his taste.) Once he has his corn in hand, he likes to lounge on his back and enjoy his shucked corn.
Oscar makes a very distinct, high-pitched raspberry sound that only one other chimp at the sanctuary makes. Interestingly, that chimp just so happens to be his older sister, Tristen, who lives in Dorothy Jo and Tilly villa!
Today on November 10th, we hope you’ll help us wish Oscar a happy 14th birthday! If you’d like to send him a birthday gift, please consider some snacks or a new toy from our Amazon Wishlist. Whether you send a gift or make a donation in his honor, thank you so much for supporting his care!
Happy birthday, Oscar! It’s been such a joy to see you grow here in sanctuary, and we’re so excited to see what’s next!