A baby chimp found himself trying to navigate the world alone after being rejected by his mother.
Djibril was born at a zoo in Malaga, Spain in the spring of 2019. His mother, Kika, had been rescued from a circus. She endured constant abuse there and never developed her maternal instincts.
It was tough on the little chimpanzee at first. He quickly had to learn how to fend for himself. It was crucial for zookeepers to help him along. They acted as stand-in parents as they worked to find Djibril a new home. They also got creative. At times, a tiny Djibril would cuddle with a large, stuffed chimpanzee. His sweet demeanor showed that the young chimp was really looking for love and nurturing.
Luckily, they found another Spanish park that had a family of chimps. Getting Djibril acclimated to the new family wouldn’t be easy. While they were aware of the complications ahead, they saw the bigger pictures. Chimps have long been in danger due to the destruction of their natural habitats, as well as poaching.
Djibril was happy to get to be with the new family of chimps. They were happy to have him. Now that he’s settled in, they hope that Djibril will thrive. As a male Western chimpanzee, he’ll play an important role in keeping the subspecies going.