Missy Chimpanzee is equal parts athlete, social butterfly, second in command and tomato connoisseur. If you see a chimpanzee loping along the middle of Young’s Hill (usually followed by her BFF Annie), there’s a good chance it’s Missy. If you see a group of chimpanzees together grooming at the top of the Greenhouse, Missy is likely a big part of that group. If Jamie is angry at one of her group mates or caregivers, Missy is right behind her, backing her up with angry threat barks to make sure the punishment is swift. If there is a bowl of tomatoes on the counter in the kitchen, Missy will be at the Playroom door, giving her signature head nod with outstretched fingers. I sometimes think she’s trying to do a little back-door deal for her favorite food. If Missy could talk, I’d assume she would give me a wink and say “Don’t worry, no one needs to know if you slipped me some secret tomatoes.”
Missy was born into biomedical research in 1975 where she was used as a “breeder” and she was used in Hepatitis vaccine research. She gave birth to two children Josh and CSNW’s very own Honey B. Since Honey B and Missy were separated when Honey B was an infant, they don’t seem to recognize each other as family and do not live in the same group.
Honey B (left) Missy (right):
One of my favorite “Missy Moments” was watching her be the first chimpanzee at the sanctuary to climb a tree at the top of their new and improved Young’s Hill. Missy’s curiosity and athleticism were on full display and it was so fun to watch her do something for the very first time!
Missy’s beautiful life in sanctuary is sponsored in part by her amazing Pals Vicki, Monica, Chris & Lee Ann, Donna, Sharlene, Myra, Patti, Barbara, and Dax. You too can join this group of important supporters by becoming Missy’s Pal.
Valentine’s month is almost over, but it’s never too late to fall in love with Missy!
