Moyi

Just like in humans, the flu is most dangerous for little babies. Semendwa's baby was too young to make it, he got sick too quick, but Claudine and the vet Marie Laure did manage to save Chi Chi's baby, Moyi, who is hanging on to Mama Henriette below. it is always a tough choice to take a baby, you have to anesthetise the mother first which is traumatic and can be dangerous. But Moyi ended up being a happy story, he came from his mom for two nights and slept with Suzy, keeping her up all night long. Then after two days, Claudine brought him back to the enclosure, he squealed when he saw his mom, ran and gave her a big hug ... then he ran BACK to Claudine, waiting to go back to the fun place where he got all those yummy treats!!


But Chi Chi held him close. She was so happy to see him, she was hugging and kissing him, I cried (for everyone who's wondering, I actually do not cry every day willy nilly).

And something special; when Moyi was away, we went to Chi Chi's enclosure to try and find some sugar cane for him to eat. I saw Chi Chi, she was sitting huddled over, looking really sad. When she saw me, she came over to the fence, looking hard at me as though I might be hiding her baby in my pocket.

I said, "Chi Chi, I just need some sugar cane for Moyi, can you see any?"

Then she handed me a big juicy chunk right through the fence. I know, as a scientist, you can't make any conclusions, especially since if Chi Chi speaks anything, she speaks French, not English, but I took the sugar cane back to Moyi and said his mom sent it to him with hugs and kisses, just in case he could understand.

We still need another $20,000 for bonobo food - please help if you can: www.friendsofbonobos.org/support.htm or lolayabonobo.wildlifedirect.org.