Help us wish Gail a very happy 50th birthday!
Today is the launch of the month-long campaign leading up to Giving Day for Apes on October 11th. And what better way to kick it off than in honor of Gail who turns 50 today!? All donations beginning today count toward our $60,000 goal and can help us win sponsored prizes from the Giving Day sponsors. We hope you enjoy getting to know Gail and consider making a donation in honor of her birthday!
Gail was born in 1972 at a laboratory known as the Buckshire Corporation. The Coulston Foundation, a laboratory in New Mexico with extensive violations of the Animal Welfare Act, purchased her when she was nine years old and entered her into the breeding program. Over the years she gave birth many times and all of her babies except one were taken away within one to five days of their birth, a traumatic experience for Gail and her newborns.
In 2002, Gail was among the 266 chimpanzees rescued by Save the Chimps and she joined a large chimpanzee family. Gail is the epitome of resilience after her early hardships in life. She is a great friend to Tammy, Vanna (and therefore often on the receiving end of Vanna’s amazing hugs), and many other members of Ron’s family.
Despite being so sweet, she is amazing at standing up for herself and her family. Although her age has slowed her down physically (she is lovingly referred to as Gail the Snail), it does not hold her back from playing, interacting in social dynamics, or even climbing trees on a rare occasion! Gail is fearless, if she hears alarm calls (vocalizations chimpanzees use to warn family members of potential danger), she is the first one outside to assess the situation and make sure her loved ones are safe. She enjoys spending her days on the island with her friends, napping in the sunshine and meandering around at her characteristic slow pace while foraging for food. She is frequently referred to as the queen of Ron’s family which has brought about the tagline, “All hail queen Gail!”
This year Save the Chimps will be fundraising in honor of elderly residents like Gail.
- $5.67 can sponsor bananas for Gail’s entire family
- $23.07 can sponsor three days of nesting material such as hay
- $60 can support a full day of Gail’s care. Donors at this level will receive a coupon code for a symbolic annual adoption which includes a custom digital certificate, digital biography, and one-year subscription to the e-newsletter, Pant-Hoots to Parents.
- Any amount you give will support care for our elderly population