Baby Chimps Hug Tightly After Being Rescued From Backyard Cage
Chimpanzees Zizi and Zeze were just babies when they were stolen from the wild and caged in a backyard in Angola. The two chimpanzees were held illegally after being violently taken from their families—an all-too-common tragedy caused by the illegal wildlife trade.
When Wild At Life heard about the pair, they worked with local authorities to carry out a rescue.
Zeze was especially traumatized. He was hesitant to leave the bird cage—the only home he’d known since his family was killed. He bore the trauma on his face. He had a deep machete wound across his face, likely from the moment he was torn away from his mother. That same injury left him blind in one eye. Rescuers later discovered a bullet lodged in his testicle.
Through it all, the one constant source of comfort in Zeze’s life was Zizi.
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When the two finally arrived at the Wild At Life sanctuary, they were frightened, undernourished, and clinging to each other. At first, they didn’t understand they were free to move and that they were safe.
But now, after time to heal, their lives have changed for the better.
Zeze underwent surgery and, with expert medical care and nurturing support, is doing much better. As Wild At Life shared on Instagram:
“In the safety of our sanctuary, and [with] medical care [and an] operation to his eye, he integrated his own family and started to grow up with his own kind.”
Because neither Zizi nor Zeze could survive on their own in the wild, they’ll remain at the sanctuary, where they can finally live with dignity and kindness.
Visit the Wild At Life to learn more about their important work.
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