Celebrating LEO’s 18th birthday!
Yesterday, we posted a blog celebrating chimpanzee Kyrstin’s 14th birthday. We mentioned that Kyrstin has an older brother who would also be celebrating a birthday soon — today, in fact! That’s right — today on August 31st, just one day after Kyrstin’s 14th birthday, we’re celebrating Leo’s 18th birthday!
Leo arrived at Project Chimps in 2018, making today his 6th birthday at the sanctuary. He lives on Side A of Laurie & Carlee McGrath Chateau where he’s always enjoyed playing with the younger males. Although still a teenager, Leo is actually the oldest male chimpanzee in his group. Even the current alpha, Binah, is two years younger than him!
Because the male chimpanzees in Leo’s group are so young, their dynamics can shift a lot depending on the day. In the past, Leo has preferred to avoid drama caused by their wild group dynamics. However, whether he wants to be or not, these days Leo has been much more involved. He’s also been spending more time grooming with Binah.
Leo is “solar powered” — he shifts from room to room better on warm, sunny days! He loves a good game of chase with his caregivers and laughs while making them run from room to room. He’s a film junkie and loves watching different movies. Every time his caregivers put a movie on for the group, Leo is ready to see what’s showing! He can also be very particular about his food. He normally eats his breakfast throughout the day and prefers his oranges in slices.
Leo is an expert nest builder and has a perfect nest spot in the corner of Cubby 1. He makes his nests out of blankets, stuffed animals, and boxes — the more boxes, the better! Leo likes to carry around the little blocks that are part of the Green Toys Shape Sorter. He usually has a couple of these in his mouth and can also be seen carrying around small stuffed animals.
Leo is such a special chimp, and we’re so happy to be able to celebrate his 18th birthday! If you’d like to send him a birthday gift, he’d love a toy from our Amazon Wishlist!
Happy 18th birthday to you, Leo! You’re one of a kind, and all your caregivers talk about what a joy it is to work with you. Truly, it’s an honor to know you!