Celebrating VICKY’s 19th birthday!
It’s September 3rd, so it’s an exciting day at Project Chimps! Today, we’re celebrating Vicky’s last year as a teenager as she turns 19 years old!
Vicky arrived at Project Chimps two years ago following her older sister Betty, who also lives at the sanctuary! They’re only two years apart in age and look and act very similarly. They even have the same food squeak, which are extremely high-pitched. Sometimes, they’re so high it’s almost like no sound is coming out at all!
Like many of the chimps at the sanctuary, Vicky has her own nickname — Vicky Lynn! She loves juice, cardboard and banana leaf browse, as well as anything she can nest with. She especially loves long thin blankets and firehose strips that she can drape around her shoulders.
Vicky was very skittish when she first arrived. However, as she settled in, she began to open up and show new sides of her unique personality. She’s very skilled at using tools and solving enrichment puzzles and loves playing with her friends.
Over the past year, she’s grown closer with Manetta, another female chimp and one of her favorite playmates. Every day when caregivers shift the chimps out of their bedroom, Vicky and Manetta start playtime! They get the “zoomies” and chase each other back and forth before (hopefully) coming out to the porch. She loves barrel hammocks and is close friends with Paul as well!
While Vicky has come out of her shell since she’s arrived, she’s one of several chimps in Prince’s group who choose not to go into the habitat. Although she hasn’t chosen to go outside since her first day out, she seems to like lounging with the others. Recently, she really enjoyed watching a documentary during tech day!
We’re thrilled to celebrate Vicky’s 19th birthday here at Project Chimps. If you’d like to send her a birthday gift, she’d love some blankets or juice from our Amazon Wishlist!
Happy Birthday, Vicky! We’re so proud of how much you’ve matured and we’re excited to see what’s next for you!