Moabi

Est. Birth Year 1999

An injured Moabi was brought to the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center by employees of a logging company in March 2000. As the hunter who killed Moabi’s mother was finishing her off with a machete, he accidentally hit her clinging baby on the head with the blade. Believing that he could not profit by selling Moabi and that he would probably die, he gave him to the logging company employees. When Moabi arrived at the sanctuary, he had an infected wound and skull fracture above his left eye, and he was in danger of dying. His extensive injury required three surgeries during his first month at Sanaga-Yong. That Moabi survived his terrible emotional and physical trauma is evidence that he has a very strong will to live. He is named after the Moabi tree, which is one of the strongest trees in Cameroon, and is itself an endangered species.

Today, Moabi is a sweet-natured adult male. He lives in a twenty-acre forested enclosure and a large attached satellite cage with nineteen other chimpanzees. He’s a low-ranking male, but he enjoys several close friends, including alpha male Future, who protects him.