Warning: This article contains before photos and stories of now rescued chimpanzees that some viewers might find upsetting.
Before arriving at Chimp Eden - The Jane Goodall Institute, most of the chimpanzees had only known the confines of cages and chains. Kept behind nightclubs, locked in dark rooms behind hardware stores, smuggled across borders, or sold as exotic pets. They were starved, neglected, and treated not as intelligent, emotional beings but as entertainment, status symbols, or afterthoughts. Some had never seen another chimpanzee. Others had watched their families die.
Join us as we delve into some of the chimp's pasts and present and witness their remarkable transformations through compelling before-and-after photos. Here's Dinka, Zac, Charlene, Zeena, Sampa and Tony before and after life at Chimp Eden:
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LIKA: The Gentle Soul
Group 3 | Origin: Angola | Age: 31
For 12 long years, Lika was kept in solitary confinement behind a hardware store in Angola. After being rescued and arriving at the sanctuary, she began to blossom into a confident and social chimp.
At first, Lika struggled to fit in with her new group. She displayed anti-social behaviour and would often take flight when others got excited, but with time, patience, and friendship, Lika’s self-confidence grew! She learned to stand her ground and even received backup from other troop members.
In 2022, Lika joined Group 2, and despite initial challenges, she managed to fit in and make friends with Sampa, Zeena, and Joao. Today, Lika is a valued member of her group, known for her submissive nature and rare displays of anger or aggression.
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DINKA: The Stoic Warrior
Group 2 | Origin: Sudan | Age: 20
Named after the Dinka tribe of South Sudan, Dinka was rescued by Sudanese local authorities from bushmeat hunters. In 2007, Dinka and four other infant chimps, Thomas, Nina, Charlie, and Zee, were brought to safety at the sanctuary and quarantined together after a traumatic start to life.
When Dinka first arrived, he was unusually small for his age, weakened by a poor diet and the stress of captivity. But his spirit was anything but small. Over time, Dinka has grown into a bold and dominant individual. He’s known to stand his ground when confronted, often facing off with chimps much larger than himself. While others may scream in distress, Dinka chooses to fight back with quiet courage. Arriving small and fragile, Dinka has blossomed into a confident, dominant chimp who fits well into his troop.
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ZAC: The Strategic Ally
Group 2 | Origin: Angola | Age: 37
Born around 1988 in Angola, Zac was rescued in 2007 after being chained to a tree outside a nightclub alongside a female chimp named Guida. They were kept on such short chains that they couldn’t even touch each other. Despicably, clubgoers gave them drugs and alcohol for entertainment, and Zac arrived at Chimp Eden as an alcoholic. He was severely malnourished, weighing under 20kg, and likely suffering from malaria.
Despite his traumatic past, Zac slowly found his strength. Once a timid and gentle soul, he has grown into a powerful and respected male. He even took over the alpha position within a year of his arrival, though he later stepped down, and another chimp, Thomas, became the leader. Zac now holds a high-ranking position in the group and is both respected and feared, especially during conflicts. He has a close bond with other males, especially João, and he still respects Thomas… but lately, things have shifted.
Zac has been spending more time with Dinka, as Thomas is showing signs of submission and may soon lose his alpha status. Zac, ever the strategist, seems to know it’s smart to stay on Dinka’s good side. When power shifts in a chimp group, Zac is exactly the kind of ally you want.
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ZEENA: The Wild Child
Group 2 | Origin: United Arab Emirates | Age: 21
Zeena was rescued from Dubai, where she was kept illegally as a pet. Her owners, unaware of the deep emotional and nutritional needs of a chimpanzee, fed her human food, such as pizza and chocolate. She had her own room, bed and human toys. Over time, Zeena became very ill due to the food she was eating. Her health declined, and her spirit faded. A concerned veterinarian finally stepped in, not only to warn the owner that keeping an endangered animal like Zeena was illegal but to explain how severely her nutrition and isolation were affecting her.
Living without other chimpanzees, Zeena fell into a deep depression. She had no troop, no trees or grass. That’s when her owner finally realised the gravity of the situation and made the decision to bring Zeena to the Chimp Eden sanctuary, where she could live among her own kind in a safe, natural environment. Now surrounded by other chimps and the care she deserves, Zeena is thriving. She’s often referred to as a “wild child”, full of energy, curiosity, and just a hint of mischief. Whether she’s racing through the trees or playfully teasing her troop mates, Zeena is making up for lost time and rediscovering what it means to be a chimpanzee.
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CHARLENE: The Strong Companion
Group 1 | Origin: Sudan | Age: 25
Born around 2005 in the Congo, Charlene's life took a tragic turn when her mother was killed by poachers for bushmeat. She was smuggled into Sudan, where she was rescued by the military and taken to a safe house. There, she met six other infant chimpanzees, Marco, Mary, Bazia, Mowgli, Azzie, and Tamu, and together, they began a new chapter at Chimp Eden in 2008.
When Charlene arrived, she had a severe limp and symptoms similar to meningitis. Though the exact cause was never determined, she now lives with permanent hip damage and a limp. In 2019, she experienced a seizure, and a later MRI revealed brain damage, likely from trauma during her capture.
Despite everything she's been through, Charlene is thriving. She receives daily supplements, has a healthy appetite, and is in great condition. She shares a beautiful bond with her best chimp friends, Suzie and Jessica, who care deeply for her. Though she is a lower-ranking chimp in her group and is sometimes teased by Amari, she gets along wonderfully with Mowgli and others who offer her comfort and friendship.
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SAMPA & TONY: The Wise Matriarch & The Comeback Kid
Group 2 | Origin: Angola | Age: Sampa 23, Tony 20
In 2007, two young chimpanzees, Sampa and Tony, were rescued from heartbreaking conditions in Angola. For 3-4 years, they were locked in a tiny, rusted cage with no floor to sleep on and a lost padlock key. Sampa, around 5 years old, had spent most of her life in that cage. She was so bonded to Tony (then just 2) that she clung to him tightly during the rescue, making it difficult to separate them.
Their physical and emotional trauma was deep; Tony had a cataract, infected teeth, and extracted canines. But everything changed at Chimp Eden. Today, Sampa is a sanctuary icon; once nervous, she became an alpha female known for her exceptional intelligence, tool use, and her role as a mentor to younger chimps. Although she has passed the leadership torch to Nina, Sampa remains deeply respected and loved.
Tony has transformed beautifully, too. Once fully dependent on Sampa, he now thrives independently. His eye surgery was a success, and his confidence has grown. He enjoys climbing, sparring, and spending time with his idol, Cozy.
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For more chimpanzee triumph stories, read: Chimp Eden - The Jane Goodall Institute: Meet the Chimps!
What makes Chimp Eden such an extraordinary project isn't just that it rescues chimpanzees. It's what happens next. It's the long, delicate chimpanzee rehabilitation process of turning fear into trust, isolation into community, and instinct into confidence. Chimp Eden gives them not just safety but also the opportunity to express their natural behaviours and be part of a troop as they were always meant to be.
If you’d like to support chimpanzee care and help give rescued chimps the life they deserve, visit the project page to learn how volunteering could be a life-changing experience for both you and them!
