Bella arrived at the Center with a large group of chimpanzees (including her older sister, Maggie, and her younger brother, Mowgli) who were retired from the movie and TV business. 

She had been worked as an infant in various TV shows and advertisements including the original advertising campaign for an employment company that appear ed on television many times in 2005.  Maggie (five years older than Bella) and Ellie (one year older) are Bella’s constant companions, but she has also lived at the sanctuary with Bubbles, Sam, and Jessie. Currently Bella (along with Maggie and Ellie) have been introduced to a group with an older female, Daisy, and three adolescent males, Kenuzy, Jonah, and Jacob (twins). She particularly likes playing with the twins and frequently tries to get tickle sessions as well as games of “chase” going with Jonah.

Her favorite toy is a bungee cord that the caregivers have hung in her enclosure.  She bounces and swings on it many times during the day.  Bella is very inventive and makes up games… especially if it involves playing in the water and sprinklers. One day she filled many cups full of water and dump ed all the water into a hole she had dug in the sand creating a giant wet sand-pit, which she then sat and play ed in for the entire day! 

When she was first in the group with Jessie and her infant, Bella loved to babysit for Jessie’s baby.  She would carry him all over the habitat and swing him around.  If Jessie got anxious about it, Bella would carry the baby right back to her.

Bella is very smart and seems to enjoy challenges.  During routine health checks (during which the apes learn to present body parts for inspection, arms and legs for injections,  ears for temperature reading, etc.) Bella eagerly shows the caregiver her hands, feet, teeth, etc. 

Her favorite treats are frozen juices and frozen fruit, and she hates pumpkin seeds!