The Case- Gini-Virginia Valbuena and Eli The Chimpanzee Should Be Treated As A Property Theft Case

Chimpanzee's Legally are considered property, they do not have any legal rights as of yet. Therefore, if Eli was sold from the Missouri Primate Foundation by Connie Casey to Gini-Virginia Valbuena, or anyone else, while under a court stipulation that no babies were to be sold, then that should be a federal case of theft. Since Gini is saying that the value of Eli is 65K, that would fall under Grand Theft which could and should be jail time. This case needs to be brought before the courts as a theft case and both Connie Casey and Gini Valbuena should be made to show proof of where Eli was born and transfer papers from the breeder to the buyer.

Federal charges should be brought against all parites involved in the selling, buying, transferring of this (Property) Eli the chimpanzee. The rightful owner, Mike Casey should then be awarded his property, Eli.

Virginia Valbuena has used the name Gini Valbuena for all of her adult life, I wonder why she has decided to use Virginia instead of Gini? Perhaps to avoid her past? The articles on this Library?

The Publics Opinion On Tne Case Of Gini-Virginia Valbuena & Eli The Chimp

 The one comment below, the poster is exactly right. Chimpanzee's Legally are considered property, they do not have any legal rights as of yet. Therefore, if Eli was sold from the Missouri Primate Foundation by Connie Casey to Gini-Virginia Valbuena, or anyone else, while under a court stipulation that no babies were to be sold, then that should be a federal case of theft. Since Gini is saying that the value of Eli is 65K, that would fall under Grand Theft which could and should be jail time. This case needs to be brought before the courts as a theft case and both Connie Casey and Gini Valbuena should be made to show proof of where Eli was born and transfer papers from the breeder to the buyer.

Federal charges should be brought against all parties involved in the selling, buying, transferring of this (Property) Eli the chimpanzee. The rightful owner, Mike Casey should then be awarded his property, Eli.

Virginia Valbuena has used the name Gini Valbuena for all of her adult life, I wonder why she has decided to use Virginia instead of Gini? Perhaps to avoid her past? The articles on this Library?

Cute until it chews your face off.

1 posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 7:05:06 PM by Daffynition

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To: Daffynition

No chimps, I baby sat for one in my home once, never again.
He was a dangerous creature.

2 posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 7:13:20 PM by ansel12 (anti SoCon. Earl Warren's court 1953-1969, libertarian hero, anti social conservative loser.)

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To: Daffynition

This is an intentionally misleading headline. This has nothing to do with “custody” and everything to do with ownership. It is well established in American jurisprudence that it is not custody of animals that is determined in a divorce proceeding, but ownership. Animals are, and should be, viewed legally as property, nothing else.
While it is a somewhat interesting set of circumstances, considering that the plaintiff is alleging that his stolen property was pregnant at the time of the “theft” (and I really don’t know what the case law is in this regard) this isn’t about custody, but about stolen property, and the possession or receipt of stolen property and not about custody. The last thing we want to do is assign “rights” to an animal that are reserved exclusively to human children and their parents. That would be a dangerous and extremely slippery slope.

3 posted on Friday, January 22, 2010 7:25:17 PM by OldDeckHand

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To: ansel12

No barrel full 'o monkeys, eh?

Comments found here

Gini Valbuena Who Has Owned Chimpanzees For Over 40 Years Will Not Allow Paternity DNA Test

Well, this is very confusing. IF Eli, the chimpanzee didn't come from the Missouri Primate Foundation which Mike and Connie Casey owned together prior to their divorce, why doesn't Ms Valbuena just let the DNA test go through? The test is only a swab from the mouth. Does she have something to hide? If I were in her situation and I knew that the Chimp didn't belong to Mr. Casey, I would put it all to rest by just getting the test! If Eli didn't come from there then why put out the money for the lawyer fees, subject a tiny little baby chimp to all of the people in a courtroom, their sickness's colds, etc? Not only that, but whenever you purchase a Chimpanzees or one goes from one owner to another, there HAS to be transfers papers, this is a USDA Law. So why doesn't she just provide the transfer papers if Eli came from someone in CA? This could all be so easy, IF Eli didn't come from The Missouri Primate Foundation AKA Connie and Mike Casey.
In previous articles Gini and the Rosaire family circus had a large baby shower for Eli at the Big Cat Habitat. There are plenty of people there, such as Pam Rosaire that are fully qualified to "babysit" Eli when Gini Valbuena goes to court. I think she is only bringing him because she wants to play on the courtroom attendees heartstrings, as if to say, please don't take me away from my mommy. Well, Gini Valbuena Is NOT Eli's mother. Eli had a mother, a mother chimp who Eli was taken from.
In an article on this Library, Gini Valbuena states that she is addicted to Chimpanzees. If you read Gini Valbuenas history on this library with all of the chimpanzee's she has owned over the years you will be able to see that this is a pattern, not a raising him for someone else.
I know Gini Valbunea and Connie Casey well and have gone rounds with both of them. The 2 of them have a great realtionship and Gini has been buying and placing chinmpanzees with Connie Casey for years. In my opinion, I believe Eli is a Casey Chimp and should go to his rightful owner if he can't be in with his mother. I also had 2 Casey Chimps and know of others, Eli does in fact look like a Casey Chimp to me. All Chimpanzees from the Caseys have a light face, certain shape of eyes and ears. Eli looks like my Chimpanzees that I placed last year.
This certainly will be an interesting story to follow. Here's the link to the baby shower
Later in September, “chimpanzee encounters” with the baby chimpanzee and Gini Valbuena, are being advertised on a play for fee basis on the Big Cat Habitat home page. The addiction continues.
Source
In June, a news story from a Tampa Florida television station airs a story about a baby chimpanzee now residing at Big Cat Habitat in Sarasota, Florida, home of the Rosaire family of circus trainers. The chimpanzee, named Eli, was supposedly rejected at birth by his mother and is being raised by Kay Rosaire and Gini Valbuena. Valbuena, a long time buyer of baby chimpanzees that once described herself as being “addicted to chimpanzees”, is advertised in the news story as the chimps’ “full time nanny”.
SourceThe Article of "I'm addicted to Chimpanzees can be read here
She even used Orangutan babies instead of flowers!! EGH
Story-
Chimp at the center of Sarasota DNA case

Bradenton attorney Richard Buckle represents Virginia "Gini" Valbuena, who is the 11-month-old Eli's handler.

By Todd Ruger

Published: Friday, January 22, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 10:51 p.m.

( page of 2 )

SARASOTA COUNTY - Eli the chimpanzee will be dressed in a diaper and fitted with a leash before he heads off to court today.

The 13-pound baby primate is at the center of an unusual custody battle in Sarasota County that has triggered some of the same emotions as a custody fight over a child.

The legal showdown centers on whether DNA from Eli should be tested to determine his parentage, similar to tests used in paternity cases.

A Missouri man is seeking to prove Eli's origin because he says Eli was born at the chimp farm he ran with his ex-wife during a bitter divorce proceeding.

If so, James "Mike" Casey says, the $65,000 chimp belongs to him and was taken from his property against a court order.

The local woman now caring for Eli, a handler named Virginia "Gini" Valbuena, counters that the chimp came from a wildlife park in California.

She says she is raising and training it for a Hollywood company. She and the chimp are living in the Sarasota area.

Valbuena says she must bring the chimp to court because it requires 24-hour care, and she cannot find a qualified chimp-sitter who is available at the time of the 11 a.m. court hearing.

Valbuena has promised that Eli will be calm in the courtroom and says that, despite his hairy body, huge ears and protruding mouth, no one would notice the difference between him and an 11-month-old baby "unless they looked closely."

As of Thursday, Circuit Judge Charles Roberts had not ruled whether Eli could come into the courthouse. Valbuena says she will try to bring him inside.

Mike Caseys Quote

"Casey's attorney argues that the DNA test should be allowed based on a Florida law usually used in family law cases.

Casey says numerous factors contribute to a good-faith belief that Eli is his: age, appearance, a prior business relationship between his ex-wife and Valbuena, and inconsistent statements in the media about the origin of the animal."

Source and full Story

ANOTHER STORY-

His owners are in a custody battle that revolves around his DNA. A man from Missouri claims he owns the infant primate, and that Eli was born at a chimp farm he ran with his ex-wife.
Photo Gallery: Chimpanzee caught in custody battle
A Sarasota woman, Virginia Valbuena, is caring for Eli and claims he came from a California wildlife park.
A chimp in the courtroom would not be the only unusual characteristic about the case. According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, attorneys say there has not been another case in Florida involving the paternity of a chimpanzee.
The DNA test requires some saliva, which would be safe for the animal. If the test proves Eli does not belong to Casey, the case would be dropped.
Chimps are illegal to own as pets in Florida, unless the owner is a licensed professional exhibitor.
Source and more photographs














Poor Little Eli














Photograph of Gini Valbuena and Poor Little Eli
Gini Valbuena was once quoted years ago that she is addicted to Chimpanzees, however, she doesn't seem to keep them after the age of 5 years old. Where do they all go?

I can't believe that she was allowed to bring this poor little chimp into the court room, what a grand example of Exploitation, to say the least.
More photographs here

ANOTHER STORY- Look how sad he is! When a chimpanzee's top lip looks like Eli's does it means they are sad. I know this from when I owned my chimpanzees. When I would holler at one of them, their lips looked just like Eli's does here. So sad to me.

Published: January 22, 2010

Updated: 10:48 am

SARASOTA - A 13-pound baby chimpanzee is headed to court for a custody dispute in Sarasota.
Eli will be in court Friday for a hearing on whether DNA should be tested to determine where she was born.
James Casey of Missouri says Eli was born at his chimp farm he ran with his ex-wife during a bitter divorce proceeding. He says the chimp was taken from his property against a court order.
Casey's attorney argues that the DNA test should be allowed based on a Florida law usually used in family law cases.
But the attorney for the Florida woman now caring for Eli says the potential for fraud is off the charts, since the Florida Department of Revenue usually handles paternity tests.
Virginia Valbuena says the chimp came from a wildlife park in California.

Source

Gypsy The Orangutan Makes Peace Amoung The Others At The Tama Zoological Park

Gypsy intervenes to make peace between Kiki and Chappy (video courtesy of Tama Zoological Park and Springer Japan)

A captive Bornean orangutan has been seen acting as a peacemaker, breaking up fights between other warring apes.

It is the first time that an orangutan has been seen behaving in this way, say scientists who published details in the journal Primates.
Peacemakers likely intervene in squabbles to ensure they do not spiral out of control.
That in turn stops violence affecting other apes in the group and helps the animals live harmoniously together.
Wild orangutans usually prefer to lead relatively solitary lives.
"Orangutans spend most of their time alone in the wild," says Dr Tomoyuki Tajima of Kyoto University in Japan, who recorded the behaviour along with colleague Mr Hidetoshi Kurotori, a keeper at the Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo.
"However, they sometimes come and travel together, so researchers regard them as semi-solitary."
Yet in captivity, orangutans socially interact far more often, sometimes becoming aggressive toward one other.
So Tajima is studying how the apes cope with this novel situation.
He was surprised by what he found.
"Orangutans can actively preserve peace in a captive group," he told BBC News.
That conclusion stems from observing five orangutans, comprising two adults, two juveniles and an infant, housed at the Tama Zoological Park.
During this time, one of the juveniles, a six-year-old female named Kiki, was introduced to the group.
Over 13 days of observations, another much older female called Chappy, thought to be 34 years old, became repeatedly aggressive toward Kiki, either chasing or physically attacking her on 28 separate occasions.
During 19 of these interactions, another orangutan intervened, physically stepping between the two squabbling apes to separate them.
Most of the time the peacemaker was an elder female orangutan called Gypsy, who is thought to be 51 years old.
However, a young juvenile male called Poppy also stepped in to quell the trouble.
On every occasion bar one, the peacemaking orangutan was not attacked by Chappy, the aggressor.
Similar peacemaking behaviour has been seen in gorillas and chimpanzees, but these are natural group-living apes, say the researchers.
For orangutans to mediate in this way shows just how flexible they are in adapting to new environments, says Dr Tajima.

Source and Video

12-year-old Gorilla, Gana Dies, SO Sad, SO Young, And After Having Her Babe Die!

BERLIN - A German zoo says the gorilla who gained fame for mourning her dead baby by carrying its body for several days in 2008 has died following illness.

Full Story

Frank Augstein / AP

PETA Wants NASA To Stop Radiation Tests On Monkeys

Gosh didn't NASA learn ANYTHING from using Chimpanzees in research? Look where and how their lives ended up. 

Story


PETA Calls On Space Agency to Ground Cruel and Wasteful Tests and Use 21st Century Research Methods Instead
For Immediate Release:
January 20, 2010
Contact:
Holly Beal 757-622-7382
Huntsville, Ala. -- Wearing monkey masks while locked inside small cages and holding signs that read, "No Tax $ for Animal Abuse" and "Stop Radiation Tests on Monkeys," four PETA members will lead a protest outside Marshall Space Flight Center over the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) plan to subject as many as 28 squirrel monkeys to a massive dose of gamma radiation. After exposing the monkeys to the radiation, NASA plans to subject the animals to years of additional laboratory experiments in order to observe how the radiation affects their brains and bodies. Monkeys used in earlier radiation experiments conducted by the government have suffered from fatal types of cancer, including brain tumors. They have also suffered from cataracts, cognitive decline, and other conditions.
When:   Thursday, January 21, 12 noon
Where:  Marshall Space Flight Center, 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville
"NASA prides itself on looking to the future, but when it comes to crude and cruel animal experiments, the agency is stuck in the Dark Ages," says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Monkeys are highly social, sensitive, and intelligent animals. Harming them in experiments so that NASA can check off another item on its seemingly endless list of questions about outer space is unjustifiable, especially when modern, humane research methods exist."
Because of the biological differences between species, results of radiation experiments on monkeys cannot be reliably applied to humans. In a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr., PETA pointed out that NASA could study humans who have been to space and also could rely on modern research methods, including the use of human tissue cultures that would yield results relevant to humans--something that animal experiments cannot do.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Source

Animal Rights Groups Want Jimmy The Chimpanzee To Be Removed From The Niteroi Zoo

He was rescued from a circus 13 years ago and has been living alone at the Niteroi Zoo ever since, but 24 year old Jimmy may soon be moving out.

    

Last month animal rights groups filed a petition of habeas corpus to set Jimmy free and relocate him to a reserve to live with other apes. 

 

The petition argues that Jimmy is a living being with rights, rather than an object and should be granted the same freedom of movement that applies to people under Brazilian law.

 

Selma Mandruca from the Great Ape Project.

 

[Selma Mandruca, Coordinator, Great Ape Project]:

"We decided to file this habeas corpus to protect chimpanzee Jimmy from the inadequate place in which he lives. He is a chimpanzee who lives in isolation and this goes against the nature of chimpanzees, who just like human beings, are gregarious animals who must live in groups. He also faces a situation of inadequate exposure confirmed by experts, veterinarians and biologists." 

 

The zoo's veterinarian however, disagrees. Thiago Muniz says to expose Jimmy to other male chimps in a reserve after a life of isolation would be irresponsible and dagerous. 

 

[Thiago Muniz, Veterinarian]:

"The central issue here is that removing this animal and introducing it to another social group with more individuals is very dangerous and complicated since he is a fully grown animal, a 24-year-old who has reached his sexual maturity. He is an adult male and the adult males tend to battle for territory and this fight for territory is usually very aggressive."

 

In 2005 a judge granted a chimp her freedom from a northeastern zoo, and while the animal died before the ruling could take affect, the fight over Jimmy's future has reignited the issue of whether an animal should be treated as a subject with rights under the law.

 

Source and Video

Young Chimpanzee, Mbam Dies, So so sad! If only they had funds for medical supplies and equipment

I also love this sanctuary, they work so hard for the chimpanzees, but don't get very much support.
Story-
What a terrible day! This morning Mbam, the young chimpanzee that has been with us since 2008, died of pneumonia. It is so sad, he was doing so well in the group. You might remember reading about his introduction to the big group last September. Mbam was the chimpanzee that did not want to let go of Killi, our quarantine keeper. Since that reintroduction he had settled in the group very well and made new friends. The last few days he had a cold and was treated for it. This morning he was lying on the floor, very ill. Although the vets took him to the vet room and gave him fluids and medication, at the end of the morning he died.

Mbam is not the only one suffering from the common cold. Several others are coughing and sneezing and have been on treatment for a few days. Bankim is the worst at the moment and he is treated in sick bay. It does not make sense that the chimpanzees have respiratory problems in the dry season. The only thing I can think of is that they are too crowded in their enclosure, which makes them more vulnerable for diseases. This is a very depressing thought, because this enclosure is brand new and quite spacious. But our group is very big and still growing.
I really feel discouraged today. We work so hard, but it seems like it is never enough. We build better and bigger enclosures, but the groups keep growing as well. Maybe there is nothing we could have done to avoid this, but it feels like we have failed Mbam. I will miss him.

Best wishes,
Simone

Source, Website and to donate

YEAH, 10 more Chimpanzees Move From NM To Their New Home In Florida!

Chimps to leave NM for a better life

Updated: Monday, 18 Jan 2010, 6:23 PM MST
Published : Monday, 18 Jan 2010, 6:23 PM MST

• Reporter: Jeff Todd
• Web Producer: Devon Armijo

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) - The world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary is taking another step in clearing out its Alamogordo facility.
The group “Save The Chimps” took control of 266 apes in 2002. They were rescued from the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo which, according to STC, had the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act.
"The chimpanzees were used in biomedical research their entire lives," Sanctuary Director Jen Feuerstein said.

Monday, for the first time in 2010, the STC foundation started a migration of 10 chimps to their new home in a Florida sanctuary. After this migration, only 99 chimps will be left in Alamogordo.
"We've been putting them into family groups and relocating them to their permanent home in Florida," Feuerstein said.

So the chimps were loaded into a custom trailer where they willl be driven for 40 hours straight to their new home in Florida.
"It's really rewarding to see the chimps when they get to Florida particularly when I know what their lives were like in New Mexico. In Florida they're given three to five acre islands covered in grass with hills and climbing structures,” Feuerstein said. “They can look up at the starts and not have bars in the way."

The organization plans to move the other 99 chimps by the end of next year and finally close its New Mexico sanctuary.

Source, video and photographs
Visit and Donate Save The Chimps

The Feet Hold The Key To Human Hand Evolution

By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News

Scientists simulated the change from an ape-like hand to a human-like hand

Scientists may have solved the mystery of how human hands became nimble enough to make and manipulate stone tools.

The team reports in the journal Evolution that changes in our hands and fingers were a side-effect of changes in the shape of our feet.
This, they say, shows that the capacity to stand and walk on two feet is intrinsically linked to the emergence of stone tool technology.
The scientists used a mathematical model to simulate the changes.
Other researchers, though, have questioned this approach.
Campbell Rolian, a scientist from the University of Calgary in Canada who led the study, said: "This goes back to Darwin's The Descent of Man.

The results are quite exciting Paul O'Higgins Hull York Medical School

"[Charles Darwin] was among the first to consider the relationship between stone tool technology and bipedalism.
"His idea was that they were separate events and they happened sequentially - that bipedalism freed the hand to evolve for other purposes.
"What we showed was that the changes in the hand and foot are similar developments... and changes in one would have side-effects manifesting in the other."
Shape-shifting
To study this, Dr Rolian and his colleagues took measurements from the hands and feet of humans and of chimpanzees.
Their aim was to find out how the hands and feet of our more chimp-like ancestors would have evolved.
The researchers' measurements showed a strong correlation between similar parts of the hand and foot. "So, if you have a long big toe, you tend have a long thumb," Dr Rolian explained.
"One reason fingers and toes may be so strongly correlated is that they share a similar genetic and developmental 'blueprint', and small changes to this blueprint can affect the hand and foot in parallel," he said.
With this anatomical data, the researchers were able to create their mathematical simulation of evolutionary change.

Human ancestors and early humans crafted stone tools

"We used the mathematical model to simulate the evolutionary pressures on the hands and feet," Dr Rolian explained.
This model essentially adjusted the shape of the hands or the feet, recreating single, small evolutionary changes to see what effect they had.
By simulating this evolutionary shape-shifting, the team found that changes in the feet caused parallel changes in the hands, especially in the relative proportions of the fingers and toes.
These parallel changes or side-effects, said Dr Rolian, may have been an important evolutionary stem that allowed human ancestors, including Neanderthals, to develop the dexterity for stone tool technology.
Robin Crompton, professor of anatomy at the UK's Liverpool University, said the study was very interesting but also raised some questions.
"I am not personally convinced that the foot and hand of chimpanzees are a good model [of human ancestors' hands and feet] - the foot of the lowland gorilla may be more interesting in this respect," he told BBC News.
He pointed out that there was a lot more to the functional shape and biomechanics of the human foot than just its proportions.
Paul O'Higgins, professor of anatomy at the Hull York Medical School, UK, said: "The results are quite exciting and will doubtless spur further testing and additional work."

Source

Debby Rose Of Wild Things Animal Orphanage May Not get The Permit She needs To Keep Her Monkeys

There is hope here for the monkeys getting a new place to live. I hope the authorities do not grant her the permit she has requested, and do the right thing for the monkeys not for Debby. A Monkey as a service animal? I have to laugh at that one. I think I remember this woman being on a show recently, where as she brought Richard, her pet monkey to the movies and other places. Why in the world would a monkey want to go to a movie theater for?

There are some really great breeds of dogs that make wonderful service animals. I just finished up training a German Shepard for the police dept to be a bomb sniffing dog. There's no need to have an exotic animal for these needs.

Story-
The Greene County Planning and Zoning Board on Tuesday recommended against allowing a Greene County family to legally keep about two dozen monkeys at their exotic animal refuge near Brighton.

The family of Debby Rose -- whose effort to have her pet monkey Richard classifed as a service animal was denied by a federal judge in October -- have applied for a conditional use permit that would allow them to keep the exotic pets, which they care for as part of a non-profit, family-run rescue operation.The family has operated Wild Things Animal Orphanage, as the operation is known, since at least 2004. But the refuge came under scrutiny in April 2009 after one of the monkeys, a rhesus macaque, briefly escaped. Two other monkeys escaped after a May storm reportedly damaged one of their cages.

During subsequent investigations by sheriff's deputies, the health department and others, the refuge was found to be in violation of a 2007 county zoning ordinance that limits residents to keeping no more than two exotic animals at a single home.
The ordinance does allow residents to apply for a conditional use permit to circumvent that limit, but the Tuesday vote by the Planning and Zoning Board -- while not the final word -- cast doubt on the Roses' chance of success.
Board members, echoing concerns raised by several of the Roses' neighbors, voted unanimously to recommend denial of the permit. The case now goes to the county Board of Adjustment for a final hearing at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 9.

Source

Activist Group Linked General Mills To Destruction Of Rainforests

An activist group linked General Mills to destruction of rainforests in Southeast Asia in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, when it unfurled a giant banner, reading "Warning: General Mills Destroys Rainforests", outside the company's Minneapolis headquarters building.

The stunt was executed by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), an activist group campaigning to highlight the role that palm oil consumption has in deforestation in Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Expansion of oil palm plantations over the past twenty years has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the Southeast Asia's rainforests, which house such endangered species as the orangutan, the pygmy elephant of Borneo, and the Sumatran rhino. Palm oil production has also become a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, which result from deforestation, degradation and conversion of peatlands, and fires set for plantation establishment.

Photo: Mercury Miller / RAN Photo taken in Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) in May 2009 by Rhett Butler. Wetlands International, an NGO, estimates that production of one metric ton of palm oil will result in an average emission of 20 tons of carbon dioxide from peat decomposition alone, not including emissions resulting from production or combustion.

RAN says that at least a hundred General Mills products, including goods sold under Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Stovetop Hamburger Helper and Toaster Strudel brands, contain palm oil or palm oil derivatives. RAN is calling for General Mills to commit to buying only responsibly-sourced palm oil.

"General Mills could do a lot to transform the palm oil supply in the food industry and to protect rainforests, communities and the climate," said Madeline Gardner, Minneapolis-based activist, in a statement. "As an industry leader and a trusted brand, General Mills could have a huge impact in changing the food industry for good."

Unilever, the world's largest corporate buyer of palm oil, has already committed to using only palm oil produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Last month the company severed ties with Sinar Mas after an investigation showed that the palm oil producer was clearing rainforests and draining peatlands.

In its campaign, dubbed The Problem with Palm Oil, RAN argues that General Mills and other companies face a risk of consumer backlash if they continues current sourcing policies.

"Palm oil is a leading cause of rainforest destruction in places like Indonesia," said Ashley Schaeffer of Rainforest Action Network. "As long as General Mills is using irresponsibly sourced palm oil, their customers will have to worry that they are contributing money to rainforest destruction."


Source

Palm Oil Harmful To Health, Environment And Orangutans

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by Marie Oser

 Coconut, palm and palm kernel oils are found in commercial cakes, cookies and snack foods. These tropical oils are solid at room temperature and contain a great deal of saturated fat: coconut oil, 92 percent, palm kernel oil, 82 percent and palm oil, 50 percent. The American Heart Association recommends substantially reducing intake of saturated fat because it tends to raise cholesterol levels.[1] High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD)[2] and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that more than 34 million adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol (over 240 mg/dL). Palm oil has long been known to promote heart disease, however there are other reasons to avoid products made with palm oil.

In Cruel Oil: How Palm Oil Harms Health, Rainforest, & Wildlife,[3] the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) reports that production of palm oil also promotes the destruction of rainforests. More than 80 percent of the world's palm oil comes from Malaysia and Indonesia, largely grown on land that was once rainforest. When forests are cleared the habitat for endangered species is destroyed, threatening orangutans and other wildlife.

 CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, who co-authored the report with wildlife ecologist Ellie Brown said, "We applaud food manufacturers for moving away from trans-fat-laden partially hydrogenated oils, and … switching to such heart-healthy oils as soybean, corn, or canola. Consumers and food processors should realize, though, that palm oil still promotes heart disease and that producing palm oil has a devastating impact on rainforest and endangered wildlife."

Since the early 1990’s the spread of palm oil plantations into forests on Borneo and Sumatra have helped to make Indonesia the world’s third-highest greenhouse gas emitter.[4] Ironically, the quest for eco-friendly biofuels, of which palm oil is a component, is also partly to blame. Deep in the forests of Borneo environmental groups are fighting the onslaught of palm plantations by reaching out to villagers with common sense and education. Founded in 1991, Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia (Yayorin) is dedicated to saving Indonesia’s forests and the endangered wildlife. Yayorin promotes orangutan conservation through environmental education and outreach, visiting remote villages, local schools and government institutions.

Established in 2007, the Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) runs a guerrilla-style campaign in the Indonesian part of Borneo. According to COP the orangutan population is estimated at 50,000 and up to 3,000 orangutans die each year because loggers and palm oil developers are destroying their primary habitat. COP investigates new clearings, issues media alerts and documents environmental wrongdoing through video, photography, and GPS.

The Borneo Orangutan Foundation Survival (BOS) is the largest primate rescue project in the world with nearly 1000 orangutans in its care. BOS rescues wild orangutans from palm oil plantations and rehabilitates orphaned orangutans, displaced as a result of the destruction of their habitat to clear land for palm oil production.

The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) is a wildlife education organization, dedicated to promoting global conservation with educational and entertaining interactive programs.

TIGERS operates four public exhibits, two in Myrtle beach, SC, one in Miami FL, and one in Boston, MA. Featuring animal ambassadors who serve as living examples of current worldwide environmental issues. TIGERS animal ambassador Suryia the orangutan and Roscoe the dog became best friends upon meeting each other and their amazing video has become a YouTube sensation.

 Marie Oser is a best-selling author, writer/producer and host of VegTV, Follow Marie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vegtv

  Source

New Study Shows Monkeys Can Learn And Apply Mathematical Principles

By Katherine Harmon

 

Like a lot of humans, monkeys might not be able to do calculus. But a new study shows that they can learn and rapidly apply abstract mathematical principles.

Previous work has shown that monkeys and birds can count, but flexible applications of higher mathematic rules, the study authors asserted, "require the highest degree of internal structuring"—one thought largely to be the domain of only humans.

So researchers based at the Institute of Neurobiology at the University of Tubingen in Germany set out to see whether rhesus monkeys could learn and flexibly apply the greater-than and less-than rule. They tested the monkeys with groups of both ordered and random dots, many of which were novel combinations to ensure that the subjects couldn't have simply memorized them. The monkeys were cued into applying either the greater-than or less-than rule by the amount of time that elapsed between being shown the first and second group of dots.

"The monkeys immediately generalized the greater than and less than rules to numerosities that had not been presented previously," the two researchers, Sylvia Bongard and Andreas Nieder, wrote. "This indicates that they understood this basic mathematical principle irrespective of the absolute numerical value of the sample displays." In other words: "They had learned an abstract mathematical principle."

But the researchers were after more than simple ape arithmetic. "If and how mathematical rules can be represented by single neurons," they wrote, "has remained elusive." So during the experiment, they recorded the activity of randomly selected neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortexes of the rhesus monkeys. They chose that region of the brain because functional imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that rule-based arithmetic activates that part of the brain in humans, too. 

The data revealed that in the observed part of the brain, the majority of the neurons selected were involved in applying the mathematical rules (with equal portions activating for the greater-than and less-than applications) rather than obtaining and retaining the sensory details. The researchers concluded that this begs for a processing model that has "specific 'rule-coding' units that control the flow of information between segregated input, memory and output."

What does this mean for us, the only calculator-punching primates? The researchers noted that it likely points to a much older evolutionary root to abstract math: "These neuronal circuits…could readily be adopted in the course of primate evolution for syntactic processing of numbers in formalized mathematical systems."

The research was published online January 18 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Image of rhesus monkey courtesy of iStockphoto/GlobalP

Source

Mountain Gorilla Video

This is a video of the Humba family of mountain gorillas - one of the 6 habituated families in Congo’s Gorilla Sector. Humba now has 12 individuals in his family. You may recall he is the brother of Senkwekwe, the Silverback who was murdered in July 2007 (and after whom we named Ndeze and Ndakasi’s new forest home).

Now that tourism is gradually coming back to the area, Humba gets visited a few times a week by outsiders. It is not just the Rangers anymore! But he is a calm Silverback - and his family is also relaxed and peaceful as you can see in this short clip.
You will notice that this video is shot with an HD camera (it is better quality than some of our past footage). The Rangers who patrol the Gorilla Sector have all received training in filming, and how to use HD cameras, so they take cameras out on a daily basis now as part of their routine.

 

To watch video 

Save The Chimps, Please Don't Allow People In To Stare At The Chimpanzees

 I love this sanctuary, Carole Noon did great things for these Chimpanzees before she passed away. I have to wonder what Carole would say now if she knew that they are thinking about allowing people in to glare and stare at the chimpanzees that she once just wanted peace for them? I'm allot disappointed with this thought. The main reason I loved this sanctuary is because it has always been that, a "sanctuary" away from the abuse, the staring and glaring of strangers eyes. Carole was even concerned about the media coming in and would only allow a small crew. She never wanted any of the chimpanzees to feel upset. In my opinion, who cares if people see them? It's NOT about the people, it's about Carole's Chimpanzees and what SHE wanted for them.

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Hey, pretty mama. I know. You know I can’t open that window,” Feuerstein says. “Unfortunately, there will always be a barrier between us.”
When you hear some of their stories and what each of the chimpanzees have endured during decades of being subjects of biomedical research, it’s hard to believe they’d want anything to do with humans, especially strangers.
But sparing no shyness, Tanya puckers her lips up against the glass to give a visitor a kiss.

“The chimps are very, very forgiving,” said Feuerstein, who worked as a caretaker at a primate research lab in Georgia for five years before coming to Save the Chimps. “I look at them with a lesson to learn. If I was treated the way they were treated, I would hate the human race. But if you treat them with kindness they will treat you with kindness back in buckets.”
Since the 150-acre facility, on Header Canal Road west of Fort Pierce, opened in 2001, a steady stream of chimpanzees, including veterans of NASA tests and space flights, former pets and “entertainment” animals have been retired to live out the rest of their lives on 12 man-made islands with hills, trees, jungle gyms and hammocks.
Despite being the largest sanctuary for chimpanzees in the world, Save the Chimps has kept a low profile. Because the sanctuary is not open to the public, little is known about the non-profit organization.
However, that’s starting to change.
Now that Save the Chimps, with a $4.5 million annual budget, has in the last couple of years had the resources to focus more on its development, the organization wants to reach out to the public more and has begun organizing public fund-raising events, said Triana Romero, the sanctuary’s development director.
“We realize, being the world’s largest sanctuary, not enough people are aware of this, and we’re trying to change that by having a stronger community presence because it really is a unique place to have in your backyard,” Romero said.
Its inaugural public fund-raiser, which was held at Gallery 14 in Vero Beach in April of last year, raised close to $17,000 through the display and sale of artwork painted by the chimps. The organization in November held its largest public event yet at the Vero Beach Hotel, which attracted more than 250 guests and raised more than $19,000, Romero said.
“We’re now able to reach out to the public and the media to do events,” she said. “Prior to this, it was really Dr. Noon running this organization on her own.”
Dr. Carole Noon, who died in May of last year from pancreatic cancer, founded Save the Chimps in 1997 to provide permanent sanctuary to chimpanzees being abandoned by the U.S. Air Force and eventually sold to The Coulston Foundation lab in New Mexico. The lab went bankrupt and closed in 2002 after the federal government stripped its funding for repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Save the Chimps took over the lab, and began slowly transporting chimps to the sanctuary in groups. The sanctuary is currently home to 167 chimps and 109 are still at the Coulston lab. Moving the chimps is a slow process, Feuerstein said, because the animals must be introduced in social groups of 25 to 30 chimps. The organization expects to have all the chimps moved by early next year and 10 more are arriving to the sanctuary on Wednesday.
It takes time for the chimps, most of which have lived much of their lives in complete isolation in “dungeon-like” conditions, to adapt to their new environment, Feuerstein said.
Noon, who studied chimps at a sanctuary in Zambia, before opening her own sanctuary in Florida, made a promise to the chimpanzees that they would live out the rest of their lives in peace and with little to no contact with humans. For that reason, the sanctuary is not open to the public. Even the staff has minimal contact with the chimps.
“There really haven’t been any changes, and that’s really a testament to Dr. Noon’s leadership and what she created, and that is to provide a peaceful retirement for these chimpanzees,” Romero said. “We ask nothing of them. Of course we recognize people’s desire to see the chimps and connect with them.”
The organization plans to purchase a “live” Web camera so people can view the chimps in real-time from the organization’s Web site. Romero said Save the Chimps also is contemplating holding an annual membership day where donors can visit the sanctuary.
The organization hired Phil Flynn of Vero Beach on Jan. 11 as its new executive director since Noon’s death. While Flynn is no expert in chimpanzees as Noon was, he has more than 29 years’ experience working in the non-profit sector, Feuerstein said.
Each of the islands, surrounded by moats of water, are about 3 to 4 acres and are connected to a hurricane-proof shelter. Chimps can go in and outdoors as they please anytime of the day, Feuerstein said. Chimps can’t swim so there’s little chance they can escape from the sanctuary, Feuerstein said.
And by the look of Gromek, who lay on his back in the soft green grass while staring up at the sky, he seemed quite content considering his background.
Gromek, captured in the African wild as an infant and rescued by Save the Chimps in 2000, spent close to 40 years of his life alone in a concrete cage about the size of a small bathroom with no social interaction. Now, he’ll spend the rest of his days galavanting about green hills with the rest of his friends below Florida’s sunny blue sky.
“He loves to look at the sky,” Feuerstein said.
SAVE THE CHIMPS FACTS
Annual budget of $4.5 million
Relies solely on donations
All donations will be matched by the Arcus Foundation, dollar for dollar, though April 30
Employs a total of 70 paid staff at its Fort Pierce and New Mexico locations
Provides sanctuary for 276 chimps
Costs $15,000 to provide care for one chimp
167 chimps live in Florida and 109 live in New Mexico
The sanctuary’s goal is to have all chimps relocated to Florida by early next year
Costs $2,500 per chimp to relocate from New Mexico to Florida
After transporting all the chimps to Florida, Save the Chimps will have made 26 40-hour cross-country trips, stopping only for fuel
Chimps are hauled in a specialized trailer behind a pickup truck and each of the chimps get a window seat to watch their journey
89 chimps are still available for sponsorship
Chimps share 98.76 percent of the same DNA as humans
Organization’s Web site, www.savethechimps.org
WHAT THE CHIMPS EAT
All produce is purchased locally. Between the New Mexico and Florida locations, the chimps consume:
1,925 pounds of apples per week
2,025 pounds of bananas per week
980 tomatoes per week
610 bananas per day
900 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches per week
SAVE THE CHIMPS FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT DR. CAROLE NOON
Died May 2, 2009, from pancreatic cancer
Founded Save the Chimps in 1997 to provide permanent sanctuary for chimpanzees being abandoned by the U.S. Air Force
The Air Force rejected Noon’s proposal to care for the chimps and instead sold them to The Coulston Foundation, a biomedical research lab in New Mexico with one of the worst records of animal care
Noon sued the Air Force on behalf of the Coulston chimpanzees and won a year-long legal battle
In 2001, 21 Air Force chimps were the first chimps to arrive at the Florida sanctuary
Since the Coulston lab declared bankruptcy and closed in 2002, Noon took over the lab and began to slowly transport the rest of the chimps to Florida
Noon was inspired to help chimpanzees after meeting Dr. Jane Goodall in the early 1980s
Noon received her doctorate degree in biological anthropology from the University of Florida, specializing in the socialization of captive chimpanzees
Much of Noon’s field work was done at Chimfunshi, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Zambia
MARTY
Save the Chimps lost one of its oldest and beloved chimps, Marty, Jan. 10.
Marty was 50 and died peacefully of natural causes.
Marty was rescued by Save the Chimps in 2001 and captured in Africa as an infant. He was sold to the Holloman Air Force Base in 1963 and was used in flight experiments during the early years of space research. He also was used in biomedical research studies, including blood and drug studies.
Marty's kind and gentle personality quickly captured the heart of Save the Chimps' late founder, Dr. Carole Noon. He was often the first chimpanzee to whom Noon introduced new employees or supporters. Marty wasn't too tolerant when the "kids" in his group acted up, but there was no denying that he was a sweet, sometimes moody old man. He was entitled.
Legendary NASA heroes Cap. Robert Crippen and Capt. Scott Carpenter visited Save the Chimps in April of last year to pay tribute to the Air Force group. Upon hearing of Marty's death, Crippen shared this sentiment: "I was saddened to learn of the passing of Marty, one of the Air Force chimps that helped pave our way into space. However, I am pleased to know that he spent his waning years at the Save the Chimps facility. It truly is an excellent retirement home for these animals."
WISH LIST
Peanut butter (creamy kind only)
Pasta and rice
fruit juice (any kind, no sugar added)
Powdered Gatorade or Powerade
Jams and jellies (any flavor)
Bread loaves
Shelled sunflower seeds and shelled unsalted peanuts
Oatmeal and grits
Raisins
Dried fruit of any kind
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Fleece throws and blankets
Stuffed toys (not stuffed with pebbles, beans, PVC, pellets or foam)
Small plastic toys appropriate for ages 1-3
Picture books and magazines
Paint (non-toxic), paintbrushes and art canvasses
Edible fresh foliage (banana trees, leaves, hibiscus branches and flowers)
HOW TO HELP CHIMPS
To donate in honor of Marty or for more information about Save the Chimps, including ways to donate to the relocation project, call (772) 429-0403 or check out www.SaveTheChimps.org, the organization’s Web site.

Source

Public Speaking Out About The Bites From Jeanne Rizzotto's Chimpanzees

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   toodles4856 said on: March 26, 2009, 10:51 pm

   Funny how there is a trial about to happen about a dog chasing a cat up a tree, the owner facing animal cruelty charges and the dog could be put down.. but rizzotto is still allowed to have her chimps who have bit over 20 people...taking a 6-8 inch wound out of the one lady's arm!!!! weird how the system works huh? SEND THE CHIMPS TO A SANCTUARY!!!

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   Smile Every Day said on: March 26, 2009, 10:28 pm

   No Way - I don't agree with her keeping the chimps but they don't need to be used for drug testing, etc. It isn't their fault they've been subjected to living the way she has them. They belong in an animal sanctuary not a labratory.

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   OldGoat said on: March 26, 2009, 9:49 pm

   You would see what a nuisance they are if you have one gnawing on you some... Not ridiculous at all. Maybe you should hop in their cage for a little visit, or walk by and let them come out and say hi to you.

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   skibum5 said on: March 26, 2009, 9:01 pm

   Really, public nuisance?? Come on, this is ridiculous.

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   No Way said on: March 26, 2009, 8:28 pm

   This lady can do us all a favior and have her chimps used for testing new drugs or chemicals. That is the only good that I can see these people biting animals accomplishing.

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After Jeanne Rizzotto's Chimpanzee's Escape and Bite They Were Ordered To Be Quarantine

RED LODGE - The Carbon County Board of Health voted unanimously Thursday to require Jeanne Rizzotto to quarantine her two chimps, provide current medical records and update their vaccinations. The board stopped short of ordering Rizzotto to send the primates to a chimp sanctuary, although several members made that recommendation.
"They (chimps) are at a critical age for going into the sanctuary and have it be successful," said Becky Frank, veterinarian and health board member. "If they wait, I've been told without older chimps to tone them down, they run the risk of injury or even being killed by other chimps."
The stipulations - current vaccinations, records and quarantine - listed during the special meeting Thursday only reinforced the same stipulations made by the board in January.
"We asked for no public access to the chimps and for vet records and a current report," said John Prinkki, county commissioner and chair of the board. "We haven't received either of those."
This time, Rizzotto was given two weeks to provide previous vet records and 30 days to update the chimps with rabies, tetanus and MMR vaccinations, along with a report on the TB status and additional tests. If she does not meet the requirements, Carbon County Attorney Alex Nixon said the county would consider "injunctive relief."
In fact, board members expressed concern that reporters for national news shows had visited Rizzotto's home and were filmed in contact with at least one of the 6-year-old chimpanzees.
According to Nixon, Montana now considers chimpanzees to be illegal exotic pets. However, both chimps were brought into the state prior to that designation, he said.
The board's action came in response to an incident in early November when one of Rizzotto's chimps bit a woman who was visiting a neighbor. Authorities and Rizzotto differ on whether the primates escaped from their enclosure or were released by vandals. In January, Rizzotto was charged with a misdemeanor nuisance complaint as a result of the incident. Arraignment on that charge is set for March 23 in justice court in Red Lodge. More recently, a chimp attack in Connecticut, which left a woman critically injured, re-emphasized the potential danger associated with keeping wild animals as pets.
While Rizzotto contends that her chimps are not violent, she admits that Connor is a "biter." She compared his bites to bites on her hand from a new puppy. But court records that describe the November incident say when the chimp pulled away from the woman, "he pulled the skin across her forearm."
The chimps have been the focus of public health concern in Red Lodge for several years, beginning when Rizzotto took them into restaurants and other public locations. Since 2005, the chimps have not been to town, she said. Rizzotto has told the board she plans to move the chimps to Arizona where she spends some of her time. But the process could take several years.
Meanwhile, the board worries about the chimps as they mature. Frank, who contacted several primate veterinarians, said she learned that chimpanzees in captivity can reach sexual maturity by age 5. At that point, they can become more aggressive. Even at only 4 or 5 feet tall, they can display the strength of several full-grown men.
Besides public health concerns, Frank and Jeff Ewelt, director of the Beartooth Nature Center, voiced concern for the animals.
"For the welfare of the animals, the best thing for these animals is to get them in with their own kind," Ewelt said.

Source

Did Jeanne Rizzotto's Chimpanzees, Connor and Kramer Bit People? Ms. Rizzotto Says They Didn't

Chimps monkey around in Boyd

By Alastair Baker News Editor Two chimps, belonging to Jeanne Rizzotto, got loose from their enclosed compound at her home along Highway 212, near Boyd, Nov. 10, and preceded to monkey around a neighboring yard. One of the chimps, called Conner, also bit a female trying to prevent it from entering a home according to Carbon County Under Sheriff Dan McJunkin. The woman, Jo Downing, was taken to the Beartooth  Hospital in Red Lodge for treatment to her right arm  which had lost 6 - 8 inches of skin. The incident occurred between 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Downing was staying at the home of Pat and Art Plowman in Boyd and told the Plowman’s that the t wo chimps “were chasing cats up the trees, swinging on the house, and getting into cars and trucks.”

According to information Plowman received from Downing, Rizzotto and three Carbon County Sheriff deputies came by to get the chimps. “It was very quiet. They assumed the chimps had gone back to their cage and went to check for damage on the vehicles when one chimp tried to get into my house on the other side. Downing went to stop him and pushed on the door and he latched on to her arm,” said Plowman. One of the chimps was also seen crossing Highway 212 during this time. Bob Eddleman, Carbon County Attorney, allowed Conner, the older male, to be quarantined back at Rizzotto’s residence where he can be looked after properly. The other chimp, Cramer, is also there. The Carbon County Sheriff’s department is still investigating how the two chimps escaped from the compound they live in. Source   Ms. Rizzotto's quote; "I've been fortunate enough that I  have not had an incident."  which can be found on this link

More Proof That The Statement Jeanne Rizzotto Made In Regards To Her Chimps Never Having An Incident Is Not True

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Rizzotto makes initial appearance on public nuisance charge

RED LODGE - A not guilty plea was entered in justice court in Red Lodge Thursday on behalf of Jeanne Rizzotto, who faces a public nuisance charge relating to an incident in which one of her pet chimpanzees allegedly bit a woman.
Justice of the Peace Johnny Seiffert said Rizzotto appeared in court but declined to enter a plea, at which point the court followed routine procedure and entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. Seiffert said the case is moving toward a trial, with a pre-trial hearing set for May 12.
The misdemeanor charge alleges that Rizzotto "created a condition which endangers safety and health" when one of her chimps attacked and bit a woman last November. Officials refer to the chimps escaping from their enclosure, but Rizzotto maintains their getaway was the result of vandalism.
Upon conviction, the public nuisance charge carries with it a maximum fine of $500 or imprisonment in the county jail for no longer than six months.
As the result of the alleged incident and another nationally-publicized chimp attack in Connecticut, the Carbon County Board of Health has given Rizzotto 30 days from March 12 to update the chimps' health records and provide those records to the county. They have also recommended that she place her two chimpanzees in a chimpanzee sanctu-ary.

Posted in Montana on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 11:00 pm |

Proof That Jeanne Rizzotto's Chimpanzees Did In Fact Have An Incident Of Biting

 A quote from Jeanne Rizzotto "I've been fortunate enough that I have not had an incident." which can be found on this link

I find it very ODD, that nothing has come about this situation as far as the "proof" that someone let these chimps out.

I have a personal experience with this. A few hours after the whole escape and biting I received an e-mail from one of Jeanne Rizzotto's friends, her name is Sharon. In this e-mail she called me all sorts of vial names and accused me of driving to Montana and letting Jeanne's Chimpanzees out. Now, this was even before it hit all of the papers, so at the time I didn't know what this was about. I e-mailed this Sharon person and told her that she must have sent this e-mail to the wrong person. I then recieved another horrible e-mail from her. I do have these e-mails if the authority requests them.

Now lets see, I had placed my chimpanzees because I was afraid that they would escape, get shot or hurt or kill someone. I have never met Jeanne Rizzotto, nor have any idea where she lives. I at the time lived in MD. I would NEVER EVER put any chimpanzee in danger, nor would I put the public in danger. Jeanne always seems to want to blame others for her short comings. 

 Just the other day I recieved another nasty e-mail from Jeanne Rizzotto, because I posted the articles about her here on this library. I look at this as education, and history in the making. If someone doesn't want an article posted they should stay out of the media, in my opinion.

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Friday, November 14, 2008

Vandals Let Chimps Escape, Bite Woman

Dog-bites-man took a new twist this week when Carbon County emergency dispatchers received a call that a chimpanzee had bit a woman.

The incident began late Monday afternoon with a call to police that a chimp was running down a road between Roberts and Boyd. Barely half an hour later, a second call came in, reporting that a chimpanzee had bit a woman.

Carbon County Sheriff's Deputy Jon Croft, who was called to the scene, declined to comment saying the incident is under investigation. He did confirm the chimpanzee is currently under quarantine with a second chimp at the owner's residence between near Roberts.

The owner, Jeanne Rizzotto, is a real estate agent who has raised the two chimpanzees like her children. She said the escape was the result of vandalism.
"Someone cut my locks and let them out in the highway," she said.

Rizzotto said law enforcement is currently reviewing video tape taken by the security cameras she has on site. The chimps live in a 7,000-square-foot enclosure that includes a 2,800-square-foot indoor facility connecting into Rizzotto's home from a breezeway. Both have their own beds and wear pajamas. One can dress himself and is toilet-trained.

Rizzotto denied that either of the chimps - Connor and Kramer are both roughly six years old and weigh about 75 pounds - had bitten anyone. The victim, however, was taken to Beartooth Hospital in Red Lodge for treatment, according to dispatchers.

Carbon County Attorney Bob Eddleman said this is not the first time there has been talk of one of the chimps biting someone. But, it is the first time he's aware that has been reported to law enforcement.

Rizzotto said she was alerted to the chimps' escape after returning home from Red Lodge. Her son retrieved one chimp from a field nearby and they discovered the other at a neighbor's residence. She said , the officer pointed a gun at the chimp, but Rizzotto stepped in front of the gun, picked up the chimp and returned to her property.

Don "Doc" Woerner of the Laurel East Pet Hospital serves as a veterinarian for ZooMontana. He described the situation as "almost unbelievable." He said a chimp bite could be compared to a human bite for its potential to transmit disease.

"It's about the worst bite you can get, much worse than a dog," he said.

The chimps are currently being quarantined for rabies, which is unlikely, he said. But there is a potential for herpes or other infections. He believed the chimps had limited veterinary care in the past.

Dr. Eric Klaphake, who also serves as a veterinarian for ZooMontana, said he advised a tetanus shot for the victim and a broad spectrum of antibiotics to address the varied bacteria that could be present.

Klaphake, who has worked with chimps and other primates at several large zoos, said chimps have a tendency to do damage when they want to.

"They literally chew fingers off, chew noses off and attack the genitalia in men," he said.

They also have a tendency to retaliate, he said. While working at the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee, he darted the resident chimps to prepare them for their annual physical exams. Two years after he had left the zoo, he returned as a visitor. Even in the midst of a group of other visitors, the male chimps immediately picked him out, came up to the fence and made threatening gestures, he said.

"Of all of the animals I've had under my care, my worst nightmares are about chimps getting loose," he said. "I'd almost rather face a tiger or polar bear."

Source

Chimpanzee, Marty at Save The Chimps Has Passed Away, So sad!!!

This sanctuary is my absolute favorite. Carole Noon, Bless her heart, did wonderful things for the Chimpanzees that reside there at Save The Chimps. The staff now continues with her dreams, hopes, and love, to care for, love and protect them.


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Save the Chimps Bids Farewell to Marty -
A Beloved Friend

Save the Chimps mourns the loss of its eldest 
chimpanzee resident, Marty , who died peacefully 
of natural causes on Sunday, January 10.  Marty 
passed away in the company of his best friend, 
Garfield, and his devoted caregivers.  Marty was 
approximately 50 years old.  He was captured in 
Africa as an infant and then sold to Holloman Air 
Force Base (HAFB) in 1963.  Marty was used by 
the United States Air Force in flight experiments 
during the early years of space research.  Not 
long after his use for flight research, Marty was 
used in numerous biomedical research studies, 
including blood studies, drug studies, renal 
function, venereal disease, and eye refraction.  
In the mid-1970s, Marty entered the breeding 
program, and fathered at least 33 children 
over two decades.


 


















Legendary NASA heroes Captain 
Robert Crippen and Captain Scott 
Carpenter visited Save the Chimps 
in April 2009 to pay tribute to the Air 
Force group. Upon hearing of Marty’s 
passing, Captain Robert Crippen  shared 
these words -  "I was saddened to learn of 
the passing of Marty, one of the Air Force 
chimps that helped pave our way into space. 
However, I am pleased to know that he spent 
his waning years at the Save the Chimps facility.
It truly is an excellent retirement home for 
these animals."

In 2001, Marty was rescued by Save the Chimps
along with 20 other Air Force chimps. He moved 
to Florida and was released with his new 
chimpanzee family onto a large island with grass 
and hills. Marty loved his new home and was often 
spotted basking in the sunshine. His age didn’t deter 
him from climbing the highest hill on his island and 
quietly admiring his surroundings.


Marty’s kind and gentle personality quickly captured 
the heart of Save the Chimps’ 
late Founder, Dr. Carole Noon, and he was 
often the first chimpanzee to whom Dr. Noon 
introduced new employees or supporters. 
 Marty wasn’t too tolerant when the “kids” in his 
group acted up, but there was no denying that he 
was a sweet – sometimes moody – old man.  
He was entitled.


Marty is survived by his Air Force Chimp family, 
sons Connor and Mika, and daughters Whoopi, 
Chandra and Stephanie. 

Rest in peace, Marty. You will always have 
a place in our hearts. 

To Donate in Honor of Marty, please click 

here

To visit and donate to this wonderful sanctuary go here