A disabled chimpanzee orphaned by the illegal bushmeat trade in Africa has been given a new home.
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Wareham, Dorset, has welcomed Chocolat, who has been cared for in Kenya for the past 20 years.
The female chimpanzee was just a baby when her family was hunted and killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Chocolat arrived at her new home on August 16 and gradually met six other chimpanzees, who have become her adopted family.
When she was first rescued, she was found to have hailstone wounds and is now paralyzed in her right hand and foot.
Monkey World is home to chimpanzees rescued from 16 different countries.
Chocolat's new family have been rescued from Mexico, Argentina, Cyprus and Thailand and also have several disabilities due to their tragic backgrounds.
Dr Alison Cronin MBE, Director of Monkey World, said they were “so pleased to welcome Chocolat”.
She added: “The company of others of their own kind is vital to the well-being of chimpanzees because they are social and intelligent animals.
“Living in family groups in as natural an environment as possible is the best form of rehabilitation we can offer chimpanzees like Chocolat.”
Chocolat has already made friendly contact with Bryan, the dominant male in her group.
She reached out to him and touched another chimpanzee for the first time in over 20 years.
Monkey World was founded in 1987 to provide a home for chimpanzees that were being abused in Spanish beach photography.
Since then, we have continued to rescue monkeys, apes and prosimians that have been used or abused by humans.
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