Le Roi - Samburu

In 2008, at the age of one and a half, chimpanzee Samburu was found limp and lifeless after contracting meningitis. Despite emergency treatment and round-the-clock care from our team, the infant was left blind, deaf and paralysed.

A very sick Samburu. Photo courtesy of Lorraine Belcher.

His chances of regaining function were very low, but we didn't give up hope and after six months of intensive rehabilitation Samburu began to hear, see and move again. He amazed us with the extent of his recovery, but was left with some permanent physical and neurological damage.

Samburu climbing. Photo courtesy of Lorraine Belcher.

He was initially integrated into a young chimpanzee group, but as the other chimps grew older and stronger, he was unable to defend himself and began to suffer from a lot of stress. He was then moved to our pre-nursery group where he continues to live a much more peaceful life with the infant chimps, providing them with useful experience of adult interaction.

Now fourteen years old, Samburu has faced a lot of difficulties. He still suffers from fits and will require daily medication for the rest of his life, but he is ‘Le Roi’ (The King) of our pre-nursery chimpanzee group.