Monarto Safari Park’s famous chimps are on the mend and back with some happy news

The beloved chimps at Monarto Safari Park have recovered from a respiratory virus and are ready to welcome visitors again. And there’s some happy news for one favourite.

After being quarantined for two weeks, Monarto Safari Park’s chimpanzees are fighting fit and ready to welcome back visitors from Friday.

The chimpanzees, ranging in age from two to 43, were diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on July 15 and placed in quarantine under the care of zookeepers.

“We are delighted to say that the chimpanzees have recovered and we feel it is safe to reopen the chimp platform,” Monarto Safari Park director Peter Clark said.

The return of visitors comes with the announcement that 28-year-old chimpanzee Hannah is pregnant.

“We were planning to announce news about Hannah’s baby bump on World Chimpanzee Day (14 July), but when the chimps took ill, we decided to wait,” he said.

“This will be Hannah’s second baby. Her firstborn, Hope, is now three years old and is an absolute delight. Visitors often see the two playing together and we have no doubt that Hannah will be as wonderful a mum to her newborn, which is expected in November.”

Chimpanzee Hannah with her daughter Hope at Monarto Safari Park. Picture: Leighton Cassebohm

Mr Clark said the past two weeks at the zoo had been “worrying” but was grateful for the good wishes the chimps had received.

“We are in the conservation business and so of course we care deeply about the species at our sites,” he said.

“It’s been so wonderful to know that people around the world have been wishing the chimpanzees well. We have had many get well messages from our members and locals but also from as far afield as the UK, USA and Canada. We are grateful for the well-wishers – it proves how much people love the chimps.”

Hannah and Hope. Credit Adrian Mann/ZoosSA

Chimp baby Hope Monarto Safari Park. Picture: Adrian Mann/ZoosSA

Sick list

Monarto Safari Park’s beloved chimpanzees are on the mend after testing positive to a respiratory illness.

The chimp enclosure has been temporarily closed off from the public, while the chimps have made a quick recovery, the zoo said.

The park confirmed the news on social media after posting a video explaining how the 12 chimps are making a recovery after testing positive to a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on Friday.

“Unfortunately some of them were more severely affected than others, with some bad symptoms,” the park said.

“The great news is that when we came in today, we’ve seen a huge upturn in a lot of their demeanour and the most severely affected ones are really turning a corner now and a really positive outlook now.

Chimpanzees at Monarto Safari Park drinking their soup as they recover from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Picture: Monarto Zoo

Chimpanzees at Monarto Zoo drinking their soup as they recover from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Picture: Monarto Zoo

“Our alpha male has been the troop member we’ve really been monitoring quite closely.

“Today we saw him have a little bit of a display which is excellent, that's what you want to see in a male chimp.

“He also had some play with the other chimps.”

While the chimps are on bed rest, zoo keepers are treating them with “hot honey and lemon, soup, games and medicine”.

The zoo previously said chimps were susceptible to cold-like symptoms and could even contract Covid-19.

“Although some of our chimps are showing signs of the (RSV) virus, things like a bit of a snotty nose and a bit of a cough, their overall demeanour seems to be really improved which is fantastic news,” the zoo said.

The popular zoo had thanked the public for their support after they closed the enclosure.

“We did have to close the platform, this is so we could concentrate 100 per cent on the chimps,” the zoo said.

SICK SIMIANS

On Friday, chimpanzees at Monarto Safari Park tested positive to a respiratory illness and the zoo temporarily closed their enclosure off from the public.

The zoo confirmed that the chimps were tested for a range of respiratory viruses after developing cold-like symptoms throughout the week.

It was later determined that the chimps have come down with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

“Chimpanzees (and other primates) are susceptible to coughs and colds and even Covid-19 so as soon as we noticed they had cold-like symptoms, we were quick to take samples. The results of the swabs came back late last night showing that the troop was suffering from RSV,” the zoo said in a statement.

“The troop currently has coughs and runny noses and is being monitored closely.”

The chimpanzee exhibit at Monarto Safari Park. Picture: Jackie Tracy

According to zoo staff, RSV is easily passed on from humans to chimps and vice versa.

“We don’t know exactly how the chimps contracted the virus, but it could be something as simple as someone blowing their nose on a tissue that accidentally blowing into the enclosure,” Zoos SA chief executive Elaine Bensted.

“As we know from living with the pandemic for the last two years, these viruses can travel through droplets in the atmosphere quite easily. Monarto is in a unique position though because most of our enclosures are outside.”

Zookeepers who looking after the chimps are now wearing full PPE and the chimps themselves are being looked after in a similar way to how humans would be cared for.

“There are lots of cups of tea and a lot of soup being served,” Ms Bensted said.

“They get cared for in the same way humans recovering from a respiratory illness would be – paracetamol, rest and recuperation.”

The zoo has said it doesn’t have an exact time frame for the exhibit’s closure at the moment, but will be monitoring the condition of the chimps before the public are allowed back again.