Chimpanzees swing into life of leisure

October 26, 1995
Web posted at: 2:10 p.m. EDT

From Correspondent Anne McDermott

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- He may not have a home in Florida or an IRA, but Booie the chimp can look forward to a well-deserved retirement after a career in medicine.

After a life of work as test animals for researchers at New York University School of Medicine, Booie, Lindsay, Spike and six other chimpanzees have arrived at the Wildlife Way Station, where they will spend their golden years. In short: After a life of monkey business, it's time to monkey around. (826K QuickTime movie)

The animals, primarily used to test hepatitis vaccinations, did not become sick or infectious. And now, it's time to kick back, relax and, in Booie's case, light a cigarette. Not to worry -- Booie doesn't inhale, says NYU researcher James Mahoney, who has escorted the chimps to their new home.

Booie may have reached retirement age, but he's not likely to be using a wheelchair any time soon. His first day at the wildlife station he spent jumping up and down, scooting around his cage at breakneck speed and throwing his toys around. After all, said Martine Colette, a staff member at the way station, "their intelligence is that of a 5- or 6-year-old child, and we communicate very well with a 5- or 6-year-old child."

Mahoney, who has learned to communicate with the chimps with sign language, says he'll miss his boys, but he knows there comes a time when you just have to let go.

"I want them to be able to be free of me, in a way, so that they can live their lives in a proper way," he said.

A proper way? Well, that must mean television, and sure enough, they plan to install a set for the chimps to watch. Actually, they plan to install several (1M QuickTime movie).

"Not every chimp likes the same program," Colette says.

True enough. There's nothing worse than being forced to watch King Kong when you had your heart set on Masterpiece Theater.

Chimpanzees swing into life of leisure

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