Safari park welcomes first chimpanzee in eight years

A former resident of Leicestershire's Twycross Zoo has moved to a new home. Peter, 32, arrived at Blair Drummond Safari Park, in Scotland, at the end of February, and is now settling in to his fresh abode and making new friends, according to bosses. Peter is the first new chimpanzee to arrive at the park in eight years.

Before his relocation, which was part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme's recommendation, Peter was living in Leicestershire with another male chimp named Tommy. The move aims to help Tommy reintegrate with the breeding group back at Twycross.

Peter, who was born at Twycross, has been getting accustomed to his new surroundings for several weeks, and at the start of April met Blair Drummond's own male chimp, Chippie, for the first time. The introduction process was meticulously orchestrated, as integrating chimps can be intricate, demanding patience and stringent safety measures.

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Alasdair Gillies, the park's chimpanzee team leader, said: "Introducing Peter and Chippie for the first time was naturally quite nerve-wracking. Thankfully, this went very well, and the two boys quickly engaged in playing behaviours.

"Chippie was born here 37 years ago and had never actually met another male chimp. However, he's always been very playful, and we were hopeful that he would enjoy finally having a male friend to play with. Happily, this appears to be the case."

Peter has also been introduced to the park's female chimp, Gill, and now the troop enjoys unrestricted interaction.

"We're delighted that Peter has integrated so well and are certain he will enhance the dynamics of our troop," said a spokesperson for the safari park.

Keeper Georgie Taylor described Peter as "really thoughtful and clever". "He's always watching everything around him and is quite talkative too," she said. "He's not shy about telling us exactly what he wants. He's a brilliant climber and a star in his daily training sessions. We've had to earn his trust but now he knows us better, he's full of character."

The safari park said all species of chimp are considered endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, disease, and the illegal wildlife trade. They also face threats from poaching for their meat and the impact of regional conflicts.