Alpha Kareem Diagnosed with Probable Cancer
Morganton, Georgia (July 13) — Project Chimps is sharing the sad news that Kareem, a celebrated alpha male at the sanctuary, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Dr. Jim McClearan, DVM was on site yesterday to check in on Kareem and to inform the sanctuary staff of the distressing report.
In June, Kareem sustained an injury in his groin area and subsequently developed abdominal swelling that warranted further investigation. During a physical exam, fluid was drained from the area, and, in that procedure, a firm mass was detected. Extensive tests and analysis indicate that lymphoma, a form of cancer, is the likely cause.
Kareem, 35, is a former research chimpanzee who spent 29 years in various laboratories in the United States. He arrived at Project Chimps on November 7, 2018, establishing himself as an alpha who rules his group with compassion, not fear. In his time at the sanctuary, he has experienced a happy and graceful life, enjoying the environment and nutritious diets all the chimps are given. He has had fulfilling companionship as well, thanks to all of his chimp friends at the sanctuary, and generous support and funding from people around the globe.
“Kareem has been an inspiring leader; everyone respects him, chimps and humans alike. He has been so kind and forgiving of what some humans have done to him and hasn’t held a grudge against the rest of us. His loss will be one we will all feel for a long time,” Ali Crumpacker, Executive Director of Project Chimps said.
Kareem’s journey took him from the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates located in New York to the Coulston Foundation in New Mexico to MD Anderson in Texas and then finally to the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) in Louisiana. In 2014, Project Chimps was formed and entered into an agreement to accept all of the NIRC chimps, including Kareem, into our sanctuary, as space and resources allow.
Under Dr. Jim’s guidance, the staff will provide appropriate medication and care to make Kareem as comfortable as possible during his final days. “I’ve consulted with a lot of [colleagues] and this is a quality-of-life issue for him,” Dr. McClearan said while updating the Project Chimps staff. “It’s not the outcome I wanted but it’s what we’ve got.”
Kareem’s group resides in Harmony Villa and consists of Collin, Sky, Loretta, Ronald, Babs, Almasi, Harley, Sarah, Jermaine, LB, Amy, and Noel. The loss of their leader will surely be hard on his group, but a new alpha will emerge over time.
“It’s amazing what an incredible family Kareem has,” Project Chimps President Bruce Wagman said during the staff briefing. “It’s so touching to see how many people love him and support him as we take this unfortunate journey together.”
The book Hope for Kareem was recently published and is based on his journey in and out of research labs. While intended as a children’s book, it provides simple lessons about chimpanzees like Kareem, for anyone who reads it.
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Project Chimps provides exemplary lifetime care to former research chimpanzees in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is an accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and has achieved the highest rating given to nonprofit charity organizations in America (Platinum) from rating organization Guidestar. It is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), and a member of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA).