What started as a creative way for Laleh Mohmedi to get her son, Jacob, to eat healthy foods has turned into a viral sensation and a TikTok channel with over 5 million likes, known as Jacob’s Food Diaries. She has collaborated with companies such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Peppa Pig, Netflix, and many more for her amazing artistic creations. Her creations have covered all the greats, from Shrek and Goofy to Spongebob, and now, Salina the chimp!
We were ecstatic when she decided to create an artistic food rendering of Salina in honor of Salina’s birthday and National Food Day, today! Salina is made out of mashed potatoes with black bean noodles and rice individually placed to create her hair! In honor of her birthday a tortilla and cheese hat was added for the occasion.
Laleh says, “I was so honoured to make a creation of Salina for Save the Chimps – placing each grain individually was definitely time consuming but it was well worth it!”
What happens to the creations afterward? Well, her fans actually enjoy and request videos of the art being destroyed! For the joy of her followers, mashed potato Salina will be squished on camera, but she was created out of love.
Follow Laleh’s amazing work on Instagram and TikTok, and watch for the smash video which will be coming soon!
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The Muse ~ Salina
Salina was born at the Coulston Foundation, a notorious laboratory in New Mexico on October 24, 1988. She was among the 266 chimpanzees rescued by Save the Chimps in 2002.
She is now a high-ranking and respected member of a large chimpanzee group known as Tanya’s family.
She and her best friend, Ellie Mae, can often be found spending their days together, relaxing on their family’s 3-acre island. Salina is also drawn to the males of the group, and they compete to win her heart.
She is very clever and inquisitive, and loves looking at herself in mirrors. When she can’t find a mirror she will occasionally admire herself in a puddle of water. Salina loves being on the island and takes every opportunity to forage, relax, and play outside.
If you’d like to support Salina in honor of her birthday, you can:
- Symbolically adopt her. Your $60 adoption donation will include a digital biography, digital custom certificate, and one-year subscription to the e-newsletter Pant-hoots to Parents.
- Send birthday gifts, like mirrors, dried fruit, and nuts, from the Amazon Wishlist
- Sponsor her meals through our online wishlist store (bananas and papaya are her favorite!)
Thank you for your support!