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N E W S
Hanzie, tattoo number 251, was born in Africa more than 40 years ago. When he was about two years old, still clinging to his mother, he was captured in the only way baby chimps can be captured - by killing his mother. He was shipped across the ocean and spent the next few years at a now defunct tourist attraction in California. In 1965, when he had outgrown his usefulness to the tourist attraction, he was sent to the Holloman Air Force base to be used as a research subject. Hanzie was assigned to the Comparative Psychology Department of Holloman where he was used in rapid decompression research and restrained in a 'test chamber'. In 1970, now a young adult, he was reassigned to the breeding program but continued to be anesthetized on a regular basis in order to take samples of his blood for various studies. Hanzie spent the next 20 years in the breeding program which meant being temporarily paired with dozens of females. During much of his time on the breeding program he continued to be anesthetized for regular blood draws and in 1987 he began a series of 'punch type' liver biopsies that lasted into the 1990s. A 1991 physical exam revealed that Hanzie might be suffering from liver damage. He was put under observation but remained on the breeding program and the blood samples and liver biopsies continued. In 1993 cardiac abnormalities start to show up during his regular physical exams but his breeding/research regime stays the same. In 1998 clinical notes show that Hanzie may have right side heart failure. The following year an ultrasound reveals damage to the liver and one kidney. During a 1999 physical exam Hanzie appears jaundiced and doctors find a tumor on his liver. It is also noted during this physical that his heart skips every third or fourth beat. Lab results show that Hanzie is suffering from Congestive Heart Failure and the tumor on his liver is growing. He is put on a combination of cardiac drugs and the doctor on duty writes DO NOT RESUSCITATE IF COLLAPSED in his chart. In April of 2001 Hanzie left the Holloman Air Force base and arrived at the Save the Chimps Sanctuary as part of the first group. After reviewing his medical records and observing Hanzie both his doctors here predicted that one morning we would find he had died in his sleep. That is exactly what happened. Hanzie died during the night in one of the elaborate nests he built out of blankets and hay. He had become a member of the social group and the rest of the chimpanzees, one of the noisiest species on earth, were silent for the next two days. Hanzie's broken heart broke ours as well. | |||||||||||||||||
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