Ellie
was one of the
original
chimpanzees worked in the Careerbuilder.com
ads that created a media sensation when they were first
broadcast during
the 2005 Superbowl. But
like many chimpanzees who work in the entertainment industry,
Ellie’s career was at an end. Though Ellie had spent years in
the business of making commercials and films, by the age of seven
she was becoming too large and too strong for her human trainers
to handle safely.
Ellie arrived
at the sanctuary in Wauchula a few months after that Superbowl
commercial in
March 2005. She had been born in captivity at a tourist
attraction in
Long-limbed
and lithe, Ellie resembles her brothers, the twins Jacob
and Jonah. Ellie's best friend is Bella but she spends a great deal of time with her group’s
senior female Daisy
Ellie often stirs things up amid her groupmates just
for fun; she also is very capable of using sticks and other tools
to draw attention to herself. Ellie loves puzzles, games, and
searching for hidden treats. She also has a very healthy appetite,
never passing up a meal and often asking her caregivers for a few
extra snacks.