In Memoriam: Gregoire, 1942-2008

[Guest guest]

In Memoriam: Gregoire, 1942-2008

Published: 12/18/2008

One of the animal world's most incredible stories of resilience and

happy endings came to a quiet close yesterday: Gregoire, Africa's

oldest known chimpanzee and a national hero in the Republic of Congo,

died in his sleep.

Caretakers found Gregoire dead in his bed of eucalyptus leaves

yesterday morning at JGI's Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation

Center, a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees, in the Republic of Congo.

In notifying JGI staff members and volunteers around the world, Dr.

Goodall's assistant wrote: "We have some sad news from the

Congo today. Early this morning our old friend Gregoire was found dead

in his room. It appears that he died naturally in his sleep and he will

be buried at the sanctuary which gave him a safe haven in his latter

years."

As news of Gregoire's death circulated yesterday, messages of

condolence and sympathy made their way to Jane and JGI from around the

world.

Write Jane a message of condolence

Visit our Gregoire photo gallery

Make a gift to JGI in honor of Gregoire

Gregoire was nowhere better known than in Congo. "Everyone knew

Gregoire," says Pharoah, JGI's West and Central Africa Program

Manager. "Children…adults…they all had stories about him. You could

tell people you worked for JGI and maybe you would get a reaction. But

tell people you work with Gregoire? They'd get so excited: "Oh,

Gregoire!!"

The

illegal commercial bushmeat trade is one of the leading threats to wild

chimpanzees. For every orphan chimpanzee that authorities confiscate

from the underground market and turn over to a sanctuary like

Tchimpounga, we estimate there are at least 10 adults and adolescents

killed. Despite this tragic backdrop, life at the sanctuaries – where

orphans are given loving care, room to roam, and time to heal – is

anything but bleak

"Really a chimpanzee?"

Gregoire became famous at the Brazzaville Zoo, where he was brought

as a baby – perhaps one or two years old. The year? 1944. When Dr.

Goodall met him in 1990, after he'd been on display alone in his cage

for decades, he was barely recognizable as a chimpanzee. In her book 40

Years at Gombe, she wrote:

"I gazed at this strange being, alone in his bleak cement-floored

cage. His pale, almost hairless skin was stretched tightly over his

emaciated body so that every bone could be seen. His eyes were dull as

he reached out with a thin, bony hand for a proffered morsel of food.

Was this really a chimpanzee? . . . Above his cage was a sign that read

`Shimpanse 1944.'

Jane intervened on Gregoire's behalf, arranging for a caretaker to

look after him and give him a healthier diet. In 1996 Gregoire was

introduced to a young male chimp and an infant female. The stubborn

spirit that had kept Gregoire alive during decades of lonely

confinement was still intact — he played like a child with the

youngsters.

Rescue

In 1997, the intermittent civil war in Congo flared up. The zoo was

only a half-mile from the airport and became the center of fierce

fighting. Every time a shell exploded, Gregoire dove under his wooden

sleeping shelf, scraping his back raw.

The chimpanzees were airlifted to Pointe Noire from whence they were

brought to Tchimpounga. It took days for Gregoire to calm down after

the weeks of war and then transport by military helicopter. But

eventually he adjusted to his new surroundings, which included a

special garden made for him and La Vielle, a female rescued from the

Pointe Noire Zoo.

Games and a girlfriend

This second part of Gregoire's life was peaceful and full of social

opportunities. At night he shared his nest with his favorite female,

Clara, in a dormitory room that also housed La Vielle and .

During the day he enjoyed playing games of chase with caretakers and

being tickled. Another favorite game involved sticking out his leg for

people to grab. He also loved grooming people (heads, arms and ears,

mostly), sitting and watching the activity around him, and eating

treats, especially balls of sticky rice.

Gregoire was memorable to human observers not only for his unusual

appearance – tall and withered with many missing or half-missing teeth,

but also for his mellow disposition. In one recent video about

Tchimpounga, Gregoire is shown sitting and watching with quiet interest

as veterinarian Rebeca Atencia clips his toenails.

"He was the most gentle soul," says Pharoah.

Every year Gregoire had a birthday party. In 2004, then-Sanctuary Manager Victor de la Torre Sans wrote about the special day:

"It was a joyful occasion and we laughed a lot, particularly when

Jane gave Gregoire his surprise – a box full of fruits that he opened

with great enthusiasm but with all the care of the wisest and oldest

chimp in Africa. First, he looked at the blue wrapping topped with pink

bougainvillea flowers. Then, very slowly he made a tiny little hole to

look through. When he saw the hidden oranges, he started screaming in

joy and grabbed one that he held and showed to the crowd, full of

happiness and pride. Then he approached all his friends, proudly

showing the treasure, which he kept aside for later.

Gregoire knew well that it was his party; he did not get troubled by

the workers, the video cameras, kids and visitors looking at him and

taking pictures. Quite the opposite – he loved it! He knew he was the

star."

Gregoire was known beyond the boundaries of Congo, thanks to media

attention. Not only was he on the cover of National Geographic magazine

in 1995, he also was featured in a BBC special and in an Animal Planet

film Jane Goodall's Return to Gombe.

JGI could not have asked for a better ambassador for our efforts to

protect chimpanzees, end the illegal commercial bushmeat trade, and

promote sustainable livelihoods in Africa.

Write Jane a message of condolence

Visit our Gregoire photo gallery

Make a gift to JGI in honor of Gregoire