Meet Zack – the one-eyed hopper hog
By James Haworth
Some of the chimpanzees at Project Chimps are intrigued by humans. They study the actions of their caregivers, rush to the observation windows when tour groups visit, and engage with caregivers through the protective steel mesh.
Zack, on the other hand, is not into people. Nor is he especially hungry to engage with other chimps—you’ll rarely see him playing or hanging out with others. Rather, this 18-year-old male seems quite happy with his own company. Small in stature, he’s often found sunbathing on the porch or perched on one of the climbing structures, where he can quietly survey the goings on 20+ feet below, inside the McGrath Chateau.
Caregiver Insight
Caregiver Kailie Dombrausky, who holds a Masters in Primate Behavior from Central Washington University, understands. “I’m a bit of an introvert myself,” she says. “Give me a comfortable chair and a good book, and I’m set. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to Zack—he doesn’t need to be in every conversation or at the center of attention.”
Not that Zack is timid or afraid. He’s actually one of the higher ranking, more dominant males in his group. “He’s not likely to emerge as the group’s alpha male,” says Kailie, “but he doesn’t get pushed around, either. And if there’s a conflict within the group, Zack reaches out to calm and reassure the others.” She says he’s also what caregivers call a “hopper hog.” When it’s feeding time, Zack rushes to the feeding chute—the hopper—jostling other chimps for position. Food in hand—and foot, sometimes—he quickly scoots back to his perch to enjoy the bounty alone.
Kailie, who facilitates our Nutrition Committee and oversees the chimps’ diets, added, “Zack’s the slowest eater. When we bring out the next course, it makes me laugh, because I’ll see him shove the last pieces of food into his mouth to come back to the hopper.” Zack’s also a big fan of smear boards—plastic plates smeared with peanut butter or applesauce and covered with oats. Kailie and the other caregivers place the boards on top of the mesh ceiling. Reaching up through the mesh with their fingers, Zack and the others scrape off and eat the gooey snack, simulating foraging in the wild.
Having One Eye Doesn’t Slow Him Down
Zack’s most distinguishing feature is that he is missing his left eye! However, that has not gotten in the way of him living life in sanctuary to the fullest. Several years ago, Zack developed a deep ulcer in the cornea of his left eye, which put his eye at risk of rupture. It is difficult to consistently administer eye medications to chimpanzees, especially multiple times a day. Surgical options have a modest success rate and require suturing, which chimps seldom let heal.
Thus, a few weeks before Zack’s transfer to Project Chimps, the veterinarian decided the best option for Zack’s quality of life was to have a surgeon remove the eye. According to Kailie, “it seems to be working well for Zack, who moves quickly and confidently, indoors and out—especially when food is served!”
Show your support for Zack and his 95 chimp friends by making a donation for Giving Day for Apes today!
