Celebrating JACOB’s 14th birthday! – Project Chimps
Today, July 1st, we’re thrilled to celebrate another double birthday at Project Chimps and shine a light on Jacob! He was reunited with his mother Veronica when he arrived at Project Chimps in 2018. Today, they live together at Laurie and Carlee McGrath Chateau A.
At just 14 years old, Jacob is one of the youngest chimps living at the sanctuary. Like humans, chimpanzees develop slowly and have a longer adolescent period when compared to other species. Chimpanzees are usually born with lighter faces and hands that tend to darken as they age. While Jacob still has a few years of adolescence left, we’re beginning to see some of those physical changes now!
A little reserved by nature, it can take some time for his caregivers to see him shine. Once they successfully gain his trust, however, they say it makes their entire day! Jacob loves to play chase and is regarded as one of the most intelligent chimps in the whole sanctuary. He’s very good at figuring out puzzles, keeping caregivers on their toes trying to find new challenges for him. He’s one of the first chimps ready to train when he sees the training pouch and clicker come into the room!
Jacob is also happy to help assist caregivers with cleaning! He’s one of the few chimps trained to remove blankets blocking doors. When caregivers shine a laser pointer on the object blocking the track, he helps by removing the item. Thanks to Jacob, caregivers can shift the chimps much more quickly and clean their rooms safely!
As a playful chimp, Jacob also likes playing with toys, especially plastic trucks. He tries his best to befriend all the chimps, especially the highest-ranking males by grooming them frequently.
We hope you’ll help us wish Jacob a very happy 14th birthday! If you’d like to send him a birthday gift, please consider some dates or raisins from our Amazon Wishlist. Whether you send a gift or make a donation in Jacob’s honor, thank you so much for supporting his care.
Happy birthday, Jacob! We’re so excited to see you continue to grow up at Project Chimps!