A partially paralysed chimpanzee named Chocolat who was shot in the head by hunters as a baby has a new life ahead of her at Monkey World in Wool after a 4,000 mile journey from Kenya.
The ape rescue centre near Wareham in Purbeck has been trying for 10 years to get Chocolat to Dorset where she can have a new forever home, but it was only made possible when global courier company DHL stepped in.
DHL put on a special cargo plane to fly Chocolat, her carer Monica and Jeremy Keeling of Monkey World from Kenya to the UK
Injuries mean that Chocolat can’t climb
DHL made an entire plane available to Chocolat and her carers from both Monkey World and Kenya to bring her safely to England in a specially built transport box, landing at East Midlands airport after a brief stop in Bahrain.
After that, the precious cargo was taken by road to Dorset, arriving in Wool on Friday 16th August 2024, where she is now settling into a specially converted enclosure with a new family of six other rescued chimpanzees from Mexico, Argentina, Cyprus and Thailand.
The enclosure, designed to replicate the chimpanzees’ natural environment, has been upgraded to include lower platforms, new nesting areas and ground level tunnels for Chocolat who has a paralysed hand and foot and cannot climb.
She has already made friendly contact with Bryan, the dominant male in her group, reaching out to him and for the first time in over 20 years, touching another chimpanzee. Chocolat is also getting used to a diet with a larger variety of vegetables than she has been used to.
Chocolat was shot in the head 23 years ago as a baby when her parents were killed by poachers
Chocolat on top of the transport box which brought her to England
“What happened is beyond belief”
Monkey World director Alison Cronin said:
“We were contacted first of all by Graziella Cotman who used to work in the Republic of Congo running a sanctuary called Tchimpounga.
“She received an infant chimpanzee that she named Chocolat, who had massive wounds to her head – and what had happened is just a story beyond belief.
“Chocolat’s parents were hunted and eaten for bushmeat and the baby, clinging to her mother, sustained bullet wounds in her skull. From that point onwards she was handicapped and her life was changed.
“Those bullets that remain in her head have paralysed the right side of her body, she cannot use her right hand or her right foot, so it is not possible for Chocolat to be rehabilitated at an African sanctuary and be put back out into the wild.”
Jeremy Keeling was with Chocolat for her 4,300 mile flight from Nairobi to England
Now Chocolat is getting used to her new Purbeck home and her new chimpanzee family
Animal director sent out to Africa
Monkey World’s animal director Jeremy Keeling was sent to Africa to get to know Chocolat and DHL separately took a transport box out to Kenya where Chocolat got used to it over a number of weeks.
Earlier in August 2024, DHL went back to Kenya and collected Chocolat in the transport box along with Jeremy and her carer Monica and put her on a cargo plane which they normally use to take people’s parcels around the world.
Chocolat, Jeremy and Monica all travelled together and the chimpanzee was offered love and support, fresh blankets, food and water through the entire journey.
The new playground and house where Chocolat lives has had a lot of ground level additions for her
Chocolat is slowly getting used to her new forever home where she might reach the age of 50
“Chocolat finally has a new family”
Alison Cronin added:
“After all these years we are finally bringing Chocolat to Monkey World, which has been made possible thanks to the help and support of DHL who have just been amazing and made the transport of this crippled chimpanzee possible.
“It has taken so much care and dedication by everybody, but Chocolat is finally with us and has a new family.
“The reason we exist is to offer a nurturing environment for chimpanzees and other primates and to give them back a fraction of what has been taken from them by humans, providing them with a family again.
“Companionship of their own kind is vital to chimpanzees’ wellbeing, as they are social, intelligent animals. Living in family groups in as natural an environment as possible is the best kind of rehabilitation we can provide to chimpanzees like Chocolat.
“Her integration will be gradual, but her journey has been very smooth, thanks to the support of DHL and so far, she is settling in well.”
Actress Stefanie Powers, who campaigns against poaching and animal trafficking, supported the transfer of Chocolat
“We are only a fraction of DNA removed”
Actress Stefanie Powers, founder of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, who also supported Chocolat’s transfer, said:
“As a wildlife conservationist, I am concerned about the illegal trafficking of primates which continues unabated.
“It is only through the extraordinary efforts of individuals such as Alison Cronin and her Monkey World team that our fellow primates may be rescued and rehabilitated.
“We are only a fraction of DNA removed from all our primate brothers and sisters and it is a privilege to play a small part in helping to preserve and protect them.
“Thanks to the outstanding generosity and support from DHL one very special chimpanzee called Chocolat will have a chance at a fulfilling life. As a friend of Chocolat I am grateful to DHL and to Monkey World.”
Chocolat had first class treatment during the long flight in her transport box
Monkey World has four social groups with a total of 51 rescued chimpanzees at Wool
A safe and comfortable journey
Cain Moodie, for DHL Express in Europe said:
“Helping Chocolat the chimp to relocate to Monkey World has been an honour.
“The logistics of transporting her were quite challenging, but our team of experts, in collaboration with Monkey World and her carers in Kenya, took every possible measure to ensure her journey was safe and comfortable.
“It’s a real pleasure for everyone at DHL when we can use our skills and network to contribute to projects such as this.”
Monkey World’s sanctuary at Wool was set up in 1987 to rescue chimpanzees being abused on Spanish beaches
Monkey World now homes 25 different species of primates, including orangutans
Living as naturally as possible
Monkey World was established in 1987 to provide a home for chimpanzees who were being abused in the Spanish beach photography trade.
Since then, it has continued to rescue monkeys, apes and prosimians who have been used or abused by humans, helping 29 governments to confiscate and rehome the victims of the legal and illegal trade in primates.
The 65 acre sanctuary in Dorset is now home to over 230 primates of 25 different species. Chocolat joins 51 other chimpanzees, over four social groups, living in as natural conditions as possible.
Further information
- Explore the rescue work done at Wool on Monkey World’s website
