Jacky

Est. Birth Year 1965

Jacky spent at least thirty years of his life in a small, barren cage at a resort hotel in Limbe, Cameroon. He grew from infancy to adulthood in total privation. By the 1990s, Jacky was known around town as the “mad” chimpanzee, meaning he was insane. He showed his anguish in bizarre stereotypical behaviors – rocking frenetically back and forth or pounding the top of his head with one fist while he held his other hand in his open mouth – and he was very aggressive toward humans.

Despite Dr. Sheri Speede’s determination to save Jacky, she was concerned he might be too dangerous to humans and other chimpanzees. However, on September 1, 1999, Jacky became one of the first three residents of the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. During the following three years, he astonished everyone. Within the continuously enlarging chimpanzee family at the sanctuary, Jacky was tender with the adult females and gently playful and loving with the juveniles. With the support of the chimpanzee females, Jacky became the alpha male of his family and learned to play this most important role very well.

Today, at over fifty years of age, Jacky is no longer the leader of his group. But in retirement he takes each day easy, enjoying the respect and love of all of us who know him, both chimpanzee and human.