After Jimi's mother was killed and she was captured by a poacher, she was held for several years illegally in the home of a military policeman who believed in harsh discipline. During her confiscation in 2005, he bragged to the staff of IDA - Africa’s Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center that he had had no problem controlling Jimi at his house.

He had struck her so hard with a stick that he broke her left arm above the elbow, which resulted in premature closure of the growth plate. Today, at 16 years old, Jimi’s left arm is much shorter than her right, forcing her to walk on her two legs and right arm, and her dexterity in the trees is limited. But she still uses her short arm to climb trees in the forested enclosure.

During her early years at Sanaga-Yong Center, Jimi rejected the overtures of chimpanzees and preferred the company of her caregivers, even though she had been badly mistreated by other humans. Today, she still enjoys the company of her favorite humans, but she spends most of her time hanging out with the other chimpanzees in her small social group of six.

Photo courtesy of Director Sheri Speede