One of the first things we learn as caregivers is how to identify each chimpanzee in our care. Sandy was among the first I learned. Her misshapen ears, hunched posture, and feisty spirit made her easy to distinguish. These features were also a testament to her years and experiences, which were plentiful. While I could identify Sandy immediately, I didn’t feel like I truly knew her until more recently. It took time for us to warm up to each other. She certainly made me work for the relationship we built. Eventually, we grew closer and I became her trainer. I taught her a few new things, but in the end, she taught me much more than I could have ever taught her.

I won’t be able to write about all the things I learned from her. I don’t possess the skill to sum up the two years we spent together. Not to mention, I’m sure I’ll keep learning from her as I grieve this loss. However, I’ll try to share a few of her greatest attributes, knowing that words on a page could never do justice to the chimpanzee she was or the incredible life she led.

First, Sandy taught me so much about friendship. I had the first-hand experience of building my own hard-earned friendship with her. I definitely judged her by her rough exterior when we met, but when I put in the time to get to know her, I found a sweet, playful lady at her center. I also witnessed her remarkable friendships with her group mates. The Oldies set a beautiful example for friendships (chimp and beyond). Watching them support each other through aging, grief, and day to day life has been one of the greatest experiences of my career thus far. They wait for each other through every doorway and down every staircase no matter how slow their friends have become, which leads me to Sandy’s next virtue: patience.

Sandy was patient with me from the very beginning. As I’ve mentioned, we did not hit it off immediately. However, over weeks and months, I would come back and try again. I would try to figure out her style of play and her favorite snacks. As I figured those things out, she continued to show me patience. She would come back time and time again to see what I had to offer and I’m grateful she was willing to put the same effort into our friendship that I was. She was also patient with her group mates. When her friend Phyllis developed vision loss, she was patient with her as they navigated their environment together. She routinely waited for her friends, as they sometimes waited for her. She was also patient when Lil Rose was greedy with their snacks and would routinely allow her to get her fill before gathering her own. Finally, what inspired me most about Sandy was her patience with herself. As she aged, she climbed slower and she walked slower. Sometimes it took her multiple tries to stand up or pick something up from the ground, but she gave herself grace. She didn’t give up and she was always willing to try again. She was resilient.

Sandy demonstrated her strength and determination every day. She was 64 years old, which is incredible for a chimpanzee. Born in the wild, used in research, and retired to sanctuary (where she spent many years meeting new chimps, moving to new habitats, and meeting new caregivers), she survived a lot of change. I think if you asked anyone who knew Sandy to describe her, it would be very similar to opening the thesaurus to “resilient” and reading all the synonyms listed there. That toughness was one of her greatest qualities and I strive to emulate it in my own life. However, I’ll be remembering her for a whole lot more than that. She was a force of nature, larger than life, and unabashedly herself. I was incredibly lucky to play a small role in her time on earth. She’s certainly played a big one in mine.

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Chimp Haven is mourning the loss and celebrating the memory of beloved primatologist and longtime leader and friend of the sanctuary, Dr. Steve Ross. Steve dedicated his career to the care and study of chimpanzees and was a tireless advocate for their welfare. As one of the sanctuary’s earliest friends and supporters, Steve later went on to serve more than 15 years on Chimp Haven’s Board of Directors, including many years as board chair. 

In addition to serving as the director of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes since 2012, Steve was a fixture of the sanctuary community, and worked tirelessly to help countless chimpanzees used in biomedical research, the entertainment industry, or as pets find sanctuary homes.  

Steve spearheaded an unprecedented partnership between the Lincoln Park Zoo and Chimp Haven, and under his leadership the two organizations have collaborated frequently to advance care for chimpanzees everywhere. Among his many contributions to chimpanzee welfare, Steve advocated for all wild and captive chimps to be included on the Endangered Species List, a critical step to ending the chimpanzee pet trade. 

On the Board of Directors at Chimp Haven, Steve’s leadership was instrumental to the historic effort to expand the sanctuary and ensure retirement for hundreds of former research chimps. He was personally invested in giving chimps with a difficult past a second chance at sanctuary, including a chimp named Joseph, who despite social challenges was able to integrate and live happily in a group of 11 chimpanzees at Chimp Haven. Under his leadership of the board, a historic milestone was reached in 2018 when for the first time in United States history more chimpanzees were living in sanctuaries than in research facilities; the next year, Chimp Haven become the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary. 

Amy Fultz, co-founder of Chimp Haven and a longtime colleague of Steve’s, reflected on the impact his work has had in their field: “If you work with great apes today, chances are you’re connected to Steve somehow. The influence of his life and work is immeasurable and will no doubt continue to be felt by chimpanzees and people who care for them all over the world.”

Amy shares that she’ll always remember Steve saying, “But chimps!” as a way of reminding himself and his teammates just how lucky they were to be able to work with his very favorite species.  

“Steve’s impact on our sanctuary, for chimpanzees throughout the world, and for countless individuals who work with great apes today cannot be overstated, and all of us at Chimp Haven will deeply miss his leadership, advocacy, caring friendship, and sense of humor,” shared Rana Smith, Chimp Haven President and CEO. “We will continue to honor Steve’s lifelong commitment to chimps and his inspiring vision for their care and future in our work here at Chimp Haven and on behalf of chimpanzees everywhere.” 

If you would like to make a donation in Steve’s honor, his family requests that gifts are made to Chimp Haven or the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes to ensure Steve’s important work can continue. Donations to the Fisher Center can be made via the Lincoln Park Zoo website, with specification of Fisher Center/Dr. Steve Ross in the tribute section. 

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by Ellen Brady-McGaughey, Animal Care Coordinator

Juan was a favorite to pretty much everyone who ever met him, and was most new interns’ and new employees’ very first chimp friend when beginning work at Chimp Haven. It was common for us to take new hires or interns to play with him first when training them on how to properly (and safely) play with a chimp. Even before you knew how to really interact and engage with chimps, he was patient with you and would guide your spoon to where he wanted you to tickle him. It didn’t matter if he just met you or knew you for years, all were welcomed friends to Juan. Some chimps can be a little standoffish at first, and you have to work to earn the honor of playing with them, but Juan was happy to be a friend to all, no matter how awkward you were trying to “speak chimp” and play with him. We always said you can’t work at Chimp Haven if Juan doesn’t like you, because he liked everyone.

He was a kind friend to the other chimps in his group as well, and often accompanied sick or injured group mates when they needed time away from the rest of the group. He stayed with Sarah Anne on several occasions towards the end of her life, and kept her company while she was away from the rest of her group mates.

Juan loved many things, including people, hats, his meds, chow, and hair. You always knew when vet staff had entered his area with his meds, because you could hear his excitement about it from a distance! One of my favorite memories with Juan (and there are many), was playing with him one afternoon, when I found one of my hairs on my shirt and carefully gave it to him. He was fascinated (as always), and thoroughly inspected it. After this, he looked down at his arm for a second, then carefully grasped something between his fingers, picked it up, and started to push it through the mesh to me. It was one of his hairs, and he was trying to give it to me. It was so sweet that he gave me one of his hairs, since he treasured hair so much. I inspected it much like he always did, and he watched intently.

There are many more stories of countless, treasured play sessions with our Juan-ton. Juan was a great chimp friend to go to when you were having a bad day, as he was always happy to see you, and happy to play. He was a bright spot in every day at work, no matter how crummy the rest of the day had been. Juan was a huge part of Chimp Haven, and a larger than life personality. He will always be loved and remembered fondly by those that were lucky enough to know him. The sanctuary is quieter without his excited grunts greeting everyone that comes to see him, and his sweet laugh when you tickled him in just the right spot. It was impossible to imagine a world without Juan, and we are now having to navigate that reality. He is dearly missed and loved.

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Born in a research facility in 1989, Magnum was one of the first chimpanzees to retire to Chimp Haven. He was 16 years old and lived in a social group with his mom, Gay. The tough teenager could often be found involved in a rough play session with group mate, Conan, which normally ended in a small fight because like most boys, they didn’t know when their play had gone too far. He was a rambunctious juvenile who grew into a kind, sweet spirited giant who loved positive reinforcement training and the sweet treats that came along with a productive session.

As his family grew with retired youngsters the tough alpha male transitioned into playful, affectionate, and sometimes not so gentle Uncle Magnum. He especially became fond of the youngest little ones, Valentina Rose and Natalie.

He was well-respected, taking on the task of leading a group of 23 chimps – the largest social group in the sanctuary. Care staff remembers him as tough, but fair and loved by chimps and humans alike.

Magnum was also part of the first social group to live in the large five-acre habitat. He could often be seen in that same habitat for Chimpanzee Discovery Days where he became a favorite among visitors. He and his large family spent many days showing supporters – old and new – that retired chimpanzees love climbing trees, developing species typical behaviors and hanging out in wide open spaces simply living the chimp life.

A strong chimp in his late 20s, Magnum was larger than life with a smirk that could keep you entertained forever. However, it didn’t surprise the veterinary staff when they learned an instrumental culprit in Magnum’s death was cardiovascular disease as it is a common disease in not only aging male chimps, but also large young males.

No matter how long a chimp has been living at Chimp Haven, it’s never easy to say goodbye. However, we find joy in knowing they were able to live out their retirement years wandering the forest, eating fresh fruits and vegetables and being a part of large complex social groups living the good life – the chimp life.

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An invaluable member of the Chimp Haven family, Kathleen served as the colony manager and animal care director for more than 12 years. With more than 20 years of primate experience she expertly developed the sanctuary’s standards, regulations, guidelines and facilities so each chimpanzee residing at Chimp Haven could thrive. But Kathleen was much more to the staff members. A fiercely positive individual, she could often be seen stopping in each office delivering a “good morning” with a warm smile before Monday morning meetings. She believed there was always a way to accomplish any goal, even if no one else could envision a solution. And she genuinely cared about every individual who played a role in accomplishing the sanctuary’s mission. Kathleen understood the true meaning of team. She understood long before Chimp Haven existed the importance of caring for chimpanzees who were used in research and she made it her life’s mission to ensure they received the care they so rightly deserved.

Although Kathleen possessed a deep passion for chimpanzees, her deepest passions were with her husband, Alvin, daughter, Lynsie and son, Max. They were the true apples of her eye – ones for which she fought so hard for.

Kathleen greatly impacted Chimp Haven and the lives of every person she encountered. Her faith, loyalty and determination will never be forgotten, and she will live on in our hearts and memories forever.

At the request of the Taylor family, memorials should be sent to Chimp Haven or a charity of choice.

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Before coming to Chimp Haven, Sarah Anne was involved in one of the earliest nonhuman-ape language acquisition studies in which she learned to communicate through the use of symbolic tokens. She was featured in the book, “The Mind of an Ape,” and even has her own Wikipedia page.

Staff will remember Sarah Anne as the “epitome of a queen.” She was never without her favorite soft, cuddly blankets, which she carried with her wherever she went and often used to wrap herself up into a cozy “chimp burrito.”

In her honor, we asked staff members who worked closely with her to share their favorite memories of Sarah Anne.

Amy Fultz, Director of Behavior and Chimp Haven Founder

As a chimpanzee behaviorist, I read about Sarah in the book “The Mind of an Ape” long before I met her in person. She was something of a chimpanzee celebrity in the world of animal behavior. So, when I heard she would be coming to Chimp Haven and was chosen to accompany her on the journey, I felt honored – but not nearly as honored as I now feel, having had the chance to get to know Sarah and count her among my friends.

Sarah’s blanket nesting techniques are legendary at the sanctuary and I loved to see her wrapped up and snuggled in her nests. But as the person who introduces chimpanzees to others, my fondest memories of Sarah involve her meeting some of her favorite chimpanzee friends.

Sarah has known many chimpanzees through the years. She came to the sanctuary with some youngsters – Emma and Harper. She and Harper were particularly close; I remember them, sitting side-by-side on a blanket, thumbing through the pages of The Jungle Book as if they were on a picnic.

Sarah was typically friendly as she met new friends over the years. She was very patient, particularly with Henry, a former pet chimpanzee who didn’t know how to act around other chimpanzees.  Sarah gently groomed Henry and calmed his anxiety when she first met him; she even “shared” a blanket with him – that is, she allowed him to have one!

Sarah also once lived with Grandma, an elderly female chimpanzee who loved large stuffed animals, particularly those that looked like gorillas or chimps.  When their group would need to move from place to place, Sarah would wait for Grandma to gather her “babies” (some of which were larger than her) and wouldn’t move until Grandma was also ready to go.

During Sarah’s last days she lived with Juan. Many staff members believed they were life partners or soul mates – both being kind, but somewhat demanding – the elders of their chimp family.

Another favorite memory of Sarah is giving her as many organic roses as she wanted each February. She would take them so delicately and enjoy the smell of each one before delicately eating them.

It was a privilege to share time with Sarah, whether providing her with spoonfuls of hot chocolate one chilly winter, feeding her juicy grapes, bringing old human friends to visit her over the years, introducing her to new friends, or simply watching her soulful way of interacting with others, both people and chimpanzees.

She always made each of us feel special in very individual ways. When I said goodbye, I was crying. Sarah, in her calm way, reached out to reassure me that everything was okay. I will always treasure the times spent with Sarah, an incredible and insightful chimpanzee.

Katy Rushing, Veterinary Technican

Sarah Anne was the first chimp that made an impression on me when I started at Chimp Haven. She was so smart, sweet, and fun to interact with! She quickly became my favorite because of her sass and personality. Sarah could definitely be demanding but I lived to serve and she was all about that! Every time I got to see her it brightened my day. It meant so much to me when she eventually became excited to see me each day also! She loved anything pink, blankies, and loved having her juice from a tea set; she was a proper lady! She was very good socially with other chimps but also loved the company of her favorite humans.

About a year ago we introduced a younger female chimp, Marie, to Sarah’s group. Marie knew instantly that Sarah was her new best friend; Sarah was less convinced. Marie did not give up though; she followed Sarah everywhere and made sure she did everything Sarah did. Marie was an excellent friend and eventually won Sarah Anne’s heart. They ate, slept, groomed, and even played together. It was so special to see Sarah Anne have such a devoted friend and to see the care that they each had for each other. I truly think Marie enriched Sarah’s last year of life more than anyone else ever could have.

Sarah Anne was the first chimp that made me fall in love with working with chimpanzees. She would greet you with pants and sweet, deep hoots. She is so special to me and so many others that no words can truly explain just how wonderful she was. She will be loved, missed deeply, and remembered for how many lives she impacted for the better.

Dr. Raven Jackson-Jewett, Attending Veterinarian

Many that work alongside me know that I tend to grow fond of our chimpanzee residents – both male and female – who are strong and protective. Sarah Anne was starkly different from those who typically steal my heart.

She was a demure female who performed everything from acceptance of medications to preparing her blankets/bedding for rest with grace and class. She became special to me because she readily exhibited her gratitude through head nods and grunts every time I visited or performed a service for her.

On a more personal note, Sarah Anne, being the true lady that she was, loved diamonds. Unbeknownst to me, several years ago my now-husband worked with Chimp Haven staff to coordinate his marriage proposal. Knowing how near and dear the chimpanzees are to me, he wanted to include them in our special day. After receiving my ring I immediately went to Sarah Anne to show off my new diamond. She was overjoyed and gave her stamp of approval.

More recently, due to her advanced kidney disease she required medical intervention, which warranted hands-on care. While feeding her, she casually reached for my gloved hand and I realized she wanted to see my diamond. I quickly gave her a glimpse, and she quickly showed her satisfaction.

Even though, as a medical professional, we understand end-of-life decisions as an extension of love and care, and prevention of pain and suffering, making the call is NEVER easy. I had been out of the office for over a month on bereavement and medical leave, but came in early to say my goodbyes to our loving Sarah Anne. There were several other staff visiting with her as I walked to the door to gain entry. She noticed me through the door window before I could enter and was working to sit up and actively head bobbing and grunting as I finally approached her. Despite her failing health, she gave me a valiant welcome back that warmed my heart.

Having recently celebrated a wedding anniversary, I had a new addition (a diamond infinity band) to the ring she always admired. I quickly altered my gloved hand to reveal my new diamonds, and in true Sarah Anne character, she exclaimed her approval.

We care for a number of chimpanzees on a daily basis, and we aren’t often thanked by the furry friends that we devotedly serve. But Sarah Anne was different – a special girl who made sure to express her appreciation in ways that we could understand, whether endearing eye contact, head bobs, or vocalizations. That caring nature was just who Sarah Anne was.

Even in her final day, as staff came by to say their goodbyes, she patted at the mesh to those who were shedding tears, as if to say, “It’s ok, I’m ok.” Sarah Anne is a true testament to our Chimp Haven mission, the dedication of our staff, and the rewards of providing lifelong care to chimpanzees.

Michelle Reininger, Colony Director

One of my favorite stories of Sarah Anne involves a day I was asked for a special painting from one of the chimps in Sarah Anne’s group. I walked over to visit with the group and see who might be interested, and Sarah Anne came forward. She looked over everything in my hands as I took a seat and laid the paints out beside me. Then, she sat down and waited patiently for me to give her the necessary tools to create a masterpiece.

Sarah Anne painted in a very precise manner. She knew exactly what color should go where and how it should look. I was amazed by the care she took, even waving an arm at Henry, when he started to display, as if to say, “Hey!  I’m working here!”

When she’d finished her painting, she very carefully handed me the canvas through the small opening at the bottom of the mesh. I looked at it and told her how wonderful it was, but she was no longer looking at the art she’d created. I noticed that her focus was now on something else – me. In fact, she was staring, very pointedly, at my gloved hands. Unsure what was causing her to stare at them so, I held them up in front of me, palms facing toward me.

Immediately, Sarah shoved her paintbrush through the mesh. With great precision, she applied paint to the tips of my gloves – right where my fingernails were. I held perfectly still, as she proceeded to paint each of my ten fingernails with the skills of a manicurist. Only when all 10 were painted a lovely shade of pink was she satisfied. Once complete, she turned her brush around and put the handle through the mesh for me to take. With her work complete, she turned away and climbed up to the top of a structure with a blanket. The tired artist created a quick nest and then laid down for a well-earned nap!

All of us at Chimp Haven are so grateful to have had 13 years with Sarah Anne, in which we got to be part of her extraordinary life. Thank you to everyone who loved and supported her. She will be dearly missed.

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