Aging Gracefully…Or Not

By Violet Bishop

Getting older can be a difficult process, and not everyone is aging gracefully. Greg and Armond are two of the oldest chimps at the sanctuary. While Greg seems to acknowledge that he’s getting older, Armond is in denial. 

Meet Greg 

Greg is the oldest chimp we have. He’s 41 years old today! Although Greg isn’t as involved in his social group, the other males respect him. He is always willing to back up another chimp in a squabble. Greg also gets along very well with the girls. Since he has spent time with the females, he is playing more, which keeps him active in his old age. Greg is less forward than the other males and often loves to sit back and observe his family members. 

Aging Gracefully 

Greg is fully accepting about his life as an older chimp. He is very food-oriented and is willing to take his medications. Greg is currently on gabapentin and glucosamine. Gabapentin helps with energy levels, joint mobility and overall nerve pain. Glucosamine is a supplement that also assists with joint problems; which become more common as chimps age. It is a preventative for joint decay by preserving mobility. Even though Greg is compliant with his activity levels and medications, he still struggles with his mobility. 

Greg sometimes shuffles around, just like an older man, because his movements have gotten slower as he’s aged. His medications, and continuing to play with his group mates, will help his joints stay healthy. 

Meet Armond (who is not aging gracefully) 

In contrast to Greg, Armond is having a challenging time accepting his age. He is nearly 35 and the enforcer in his group, which means he’s second in command. His duties as the enforcer make him more susceptible to injuries, as he is involved with many disagreements in his family. It also takes him a long time to recover. Due to Armond’s role, it’s essential for him to take his medications. He is also on gabapentin for his joints. However, unlike Greg, Armond struggles to fully trust humans after spending the majority of his life in a lab. 

Armond is not the only one who struggles with taking medication. It’s not uncommon for chimps coming from labs to be wary of people. Armond feels like everything is a trick. He doesn’t immediately trust what caregivers give him is safe. Elle and other caregivers had to find the right combination that would allow Armond to take his meds. He gets the same food every time, so it tastes the same. Otherwise, he will throw it away. 

Speaking of throwing, Armond is known as the chimp who throws the most poop! You can learn more about his poop throwing on our Spit and Spatter blog.

Exploring…the indoors 

Greg and Armond are in the same social group, so they have the same opportunities to explore. Although many of the other chimps like to take advantage of the outside, Greg and Armond have decided that they prefer the indoors. Greg never showed an interest in going into the main habitat, and Armond used to venture outdoors but has since chosen to stay inside. However, there are still many opportunities for them to move and stay active – we try and encourage them to play with the younger chimps and move around their indoor spaces.

Preventative Care 

After working with older chimps like Greg and Armond, our veterinarian sees success with using supplements to help joint pain as their age. Supplements help chimps keep as much of their mobility as they (hopefully) age gracefully. We want to take preventative steps to help other chimps keep their joints healthy.

Armond has recently given us a scare after he refused to move around at all, not even for his favorite snacks. Alpha female Lindsey stuck by his side and even brought foods to him while he rested. Armond has recovered his strength and mobility but remains on medical watch. We completed a full physical exam last week that included bloodwork, urine tests, and x-rays. While we wait on the diagnostics to come back from the lab, we are giving Armond some extra attention and treats. He doesn’t seem to mind!

You can help our older chimps by making a donation towards our behavior training program to help keep them fit and active as they age!