Granted there are no helicopters circling above the San Bernardino National Forest area he reportedly escaped into and the ground search crews, animal psychics and cranks reporting sightings are long gone.
These days, according to those in the know, the search for the primate who was raised in West Covina is more low-key in nature.
"There are still experts in finding missing animals volunteering to help out," said Michael McCasland, a friend of the chimp's owners St. James and LaDonna Davis.
Moe went missing from Jungle Exotics, a Devore company that houses animals and provides them to the entertainment industry, on June 27, 2008.
In the weeks following, there was a full-scale search for the primate, who was raised by the Davises in West Covina, by the couple, the owners of Jungle Exotics and others.
San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control was on call to assist from the start, said Brian Cronin, division chief for county animal control.
"We've been available if there were to be any sightings of Moe and we are impressed by the family's extensive efforts to find him, even using an animal psychic," he said. "It is our belief, however, that there are many predators out there, so it is most likely that he passed away."
What is known is that other than early reports of supposed sightings, the 42-year-old chimp has not
been seen since he disappeared on a Friday morning from Jungle Exotics. There was plenty of excitment in the primate's life before he went missing and again became the subject of news stories nationwide. According to McCasland, St. James brought Moe home from Tanzania in 1967 after the chimp's mother was killed by poachers. He and LaDonna then raised Moe in West Covina treating the chimp, who appeared in some TV shows and movies, much like they would a son. In 1999, Moe was taken from the home for being in violation of West Covina's wild animal ordinance. Then in 2005, while the Davises were visiting Moe at the Animal Haven Ranch near Bakersfield to celebrate his 39th birthday, two chimps in nearby cages attacked them, nearly killing St. James. In 2007, Moe was moved into a cage at Jungle Exotics, the location he disappeared from. McCasland said the search will continue until there is closure. "We are not giving up, because right now we have more questions than answers," he said. Source
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It would be wonderful if Moe was still out there alive able to survive on his own but unlikely. I am curious the article mentions that there are many predators out there, what would be a predator for a chimpanzee in those woods? I could see him getting bit by a snake but would a bear really try to attack him?
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There are Mountain Lions and Rattlesnakes in that area of the mountains. A few years back at the same ranch a wonderful chimp by the name of Apollo lost his life in his own cage from a rattlesnake.
I spent 2 weeks on this ranch walking on some of the trails and saw a lot of snakes and also was warned not to stray to far from the ranch because of the mountains lions.
Unfortunately, even though Moe would have natural instincts to be afraid of such animals, I fear because he was a pet, never subjected to any type of wild life he wouldn't know how to react if a dangerous situation came across his path. It would be very nice if they could find him, but my fear is that he has passed away. I feel so sad for everyone involved, especially Moe.