Sanctuary Veterans: Ester

As Chimp Haven celebrates its 30th anniversary, care staff shares special tributes to some of the sanctuary’s longest running, OG retirees. Forty-eight-year-old Ester has been living the Chimp Life since 2006.

If I could pick one word to describe Ester I would have to say “stubborn.” She is a lady who knows her worth and if she’s not feeling it, it’s not going to happen. The girl simply cannot be bothered.

When it comes to positive reinforcement training, you never know what mood she will be in. Sometimes you can walk in and she comes right down from her usual spot to engage and get some attention, tickles, and goodies. Other times, she’s so comfortable in her spot that even the enticement of a snack isn’t good enough for her. While that can be frustrating to her trainer (myself), we respect the hustle.

Speaking of getting the girl to move, group moves are a whole other story. At Chimp Haven, we often rearrange the locations of our chimp social groups, asking them to move to a new living space to provide novelty or to meet the overall needs of the colony. While Ester is usually willing to make her way through the chute systems that connect all the chimpanzee living areas at the sanctuary, outdoor chutes are a no-go. Of course, at Chimp Haven, it’s always her choice. We once lied in wait for more than five hours to see if she would move through an outside chute and follow her family into another living space. She won that round, and her entire group moved back to her that day.

Ester is so cute, with her pink muzzle and two teeth and crooked fingers (the effects of arthritis). While she may look like a sweet, older lady on the outside, looks can be deceiving! (Just kidding, she is very sweet, but when things get wild you can usually find Ester in the middle of it all.)

Her social group’s alpha, Tabu, loves to get worked up and display at his neighbors across the hall. He puts on quite a loud show, banging on furniture and mesh. Usually if you go to see what he’s doing, you’ll also find Ester, bipedal and swaying to the drums of his display. She’s usually in the other room, so she doesn’t mess up his mojo, but she’s a supportive lady who’s just matching her alpha’s vibe.

She’s always been an excellent friend in the group and you can tell the other members feel at ease with her. You can often find them lounging together on a shelf or outside on their structures.

Ester is a staple here at Chimp Haven. She is well-known and very loved by humans and chimps alike.

Camilla Wilkey