Caline and Mayumba: two new inhabitants and a long-awaited reunion.
And with them, there are already 4 new chimpanzees welcomed at MONA since we returned to normality after the pandemic.
The first was Suzie and a few months later, Hugo. And it is because of him that this arrival makes us especially happy because it is not only a new welcome but a family reunion.
Who are Caline and Mayumba?
Well, they are Hugo’s family and I’m sure they’ve missed each other a lot. Hugo was the first to arrive from the La Fleche Zoo due to his psychological problems. Now that he is stable and has been able to meet the other MONA chimpanzees, it is time for them to come too.
Caline
Caline was born in 1986, but the exact date is unknown.
She lived in a house with humans for the first few years before going to the Fleche Zoo. She is an adorable and gentle chimpanzee, but she knows how to show her anger when someone or something does not please her.
Although she has been in the company of her fellow chimpanzees for almost 20 years, she has not yet mastered the behavioural codes of chimpanzees, because she was very humanised during her first years of life. Her former caregivers tell us that because of this, she is a chimpanzee who demands a lot of attention.
Mayumba
She was born on 8th May 2006 at La Fleche Zoo.
She is Hugo’s daughter. She lost her mother when she was 3 years old. Hugo took very good care of her, and she always had Caline who also took care of her.
Mayumba is a very lively chimpanzee, a bit of a princess and somewhat timid.
Their arrival in MONA
The road trip across France took most of the day and it was already dark when they arrived at Riudellots de la Selva.
The rest of the chimpanzees had long since had their dinner and were already asleep in their nests. But as always, the arrival of the transport van created a great commotion. Shouting alternated with moments of silence, clearly so that they could hear what was going on outside their dormitories…
When it was time for them to come out of their transport cages we were very surprised, because, for the very first time, we found that the newcomers didn’t just rush into the room. Caline thought about it for a long time, but Mayumba found it even more difficult to dare to take the step. But eventually, she overcame her fears and took the first step into her new life. A very exciting moment, one of those we will always remember.
Now that they are in MONA, their next steps will be reuniting with Hugo and meeting his new companion for the last few months, old Suzie. We hope that soon they will also become friends. We will keep you informed!
Please help us with a donation in order to cover the costs.
