Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia

Samantha is the oldest chimp at the sanctuary, at over 50 years old. She was born in the wild in 1974 but her family was killed by poachers and she was sold to the lab by a local villager when she was just one and half years old. She spent nearly three decades being used in invasive research and learned to cope with life at the lab by figuring out ways to escape. Laboratory records show that staff would be alerted whenever she broke out, because they would hear the other chimps vocalizing loudly. After many years of escapes, Samantha was moved to the secure breeding colony, where she gave birth to three babies, all of whom died. The tragic loss of her babies will have caused Samantha great anguish but she did at least get the chance to be surrogate mother to many young chimpanzees over the years. Today, Samantha is one of the dominant females on Island 5. Her favorite foods are pineapple and rice balls.

Springroll was born in the jungle in 1976 but taken as a baby when her family was killed by poachers for bushmeat. She was sold as a pet to a local family who, in 1981, sold her to the lab for $150 when she was four and half years old. In her first year at the lab, she was anesthetized over 40 times. Between 1983 and the early 2000s, Springroll was moved back and forth between the terrifying confines of the laboratory and the relative freedom of a nearby forested island. This must have been extremely traumatic for her. When she was eventually moved to the nearby islands, she suffered permanent eye damage while being tranquilized, leaving her blind in one eye. She lives on Island 1 and is quiet and easygoing, spending her days roaming the island, eating, grooming, playing with the other chimps, and relaxing. She likes to carefully wash each piece of food she receives in the salty river before eating it. Her favorite food is pineapple, and she also likes apples as a special treat.

Bullet was born in 1977 and hit by the bullet that killed his mother so that he could be sold as a pet. He was sold to the lab aged 3 years old for $150 where an infection in his bullet wound eventually led to his arm being amputated by the laboratory. Following the surgery, Bullet was almost immediately used in research that would continue for 20 years including 55 liver biopsies and hundreds of blood draws. He spent the majority of his days shaking and rattling the bars of his cage, screaming loudly whenever he spotted the tranquilizer gun and running around the cage until he finally tired himself out. Over the years, Bullet endured tranquilizations more than 400 times. When he was moved to Island 5, he became the alpha male of the group for many years until he was deposed by Lolo and Dorvelee. He now spends his days relaxing. His favorite foods are soursop and bananas.

Jiminy Cricket is a true survivor. In 1981, at approximately four months old, she was sold to the laboratory for $55 after her mother was killed in the wild. As an infant, she was left unattended at night at the lab, in stark contrast to the wild where infant chimps never leave their mother’s side. Jiminy Cricket was routinely subjected to invasive procedures for two decades, including frequent liver biopsies and multiple blood draws. Her lab notes document chronic infections and illnesses due to stress and wounds from attacks by other chimps due to her submissive nature. Over time, she lost three babies, which deeply traumatized her. In the early 2000s, Jiminy Cricket was moved to Island 2, where she has embraced her freedom and can often be seen acting as a second mother to Fanta’s daughter, Novi, with whom she has an extremely strong bond. 

David was most likely stolen from the wild as a young baby for the pet trade because in 1979, when just a year and a half old, he was given to the laboratory by his owner who no longer wanted him. David was gentle and playful, constantly wanting to play games with the caregivers and other chimps but could only do so through the metal bars of his cage. His records show that he loved to be tickled. Despite this, David was used in harmful experiments for 20 years, tranquilized 372 times, endured 42 liver biopsies and spent time in the breeding colony at the lab. He was also injured several times including suffering a permanent foot injury that became infected and endured frequent attacks by other chimps, resulting in multiple wounds and the loss of a toe. Now almost 50 years old, David enjoys a peaceful existence on Island 2, where he is often seen patrolling his territory alongside the canal that separates Islands 2 and 3. His favorite food is bananas!