Tina is a gentle, older female chimpanzee who was kept as a pet by a wealthy Angolan family. She was well cared for, but she was lonely. Chimpanzees are social animals, just like us. Being locked in a cage by herself was very sad for Tina. “The worst that can happen for a chimpanzee is to be alone,” says Dr. Rebeca. After learning about animal welfare in the United States, the owner's son convinced his father to give Tina up so she could have a better life at Tchimpounga. The best thing for Tina, and all of the other recent rescues, is to be around other chimpanzees.
