Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation


	Grub born August 15, 1991 Born in Los Angeles at an animal trainer's compound, Grub was pulled from his mother and sold to a Florida tourist attraction when he was only a few months old. His first few years were spent in the company of an infant orangutan. Now at his permanent home in Wauchula, Grub is entering adolescence and is the undisputed head of the sanctuary’s first chimpanzee group. He plays readily with a younger male chimpanzee (Brooks) and three female chimpanzees (Toddy, Kenya, and Noelle). He allows himself to be groomed by the others, and occasionally grooms them in return. Grub eagerly participates in all types of enrichment activities. He likes to paint and gets very excited when he sees the staff with brushes and canvases. In 1996, he was featured on the NBC Today Show in a story about animals and art. He also likes facemasks and learned years ago how to make a mask from pieces of paper or cardboard by tearing out two eyeholes. When Grub particularly likes a volunteer or visitor, he’ll find a piece of cardboard in his enclosure, tear out a mask with eyeholes, and offer it to the visitor. If no paper or cardboard is available, he’ll find a leaf to make his “mask-gift.” Grub particularly likes dogs. When the sanctuary's nine-year-old golden retriever was adopted, Grub was very excited to see him, ran over to the edge of the outdoor habitat near the dog, and signed "chase.” He then ran back to get some primate chow biscuits and tossed them out to the very surprised dog. Even though Grub weighs more than 145 pounds and his displays can be fierce, ending with him throwing large barrels in the air, he can be extremely gentle. He interacts daily with the young chimpanzee Knuckles. Grub grooms and tickles Knuckles and seems to know that he’s special. When Grub once stuck his finger in Knuckles’ mouth (in play)… and received a very hard bite from the baby, he ran screaming and holding his finger, but came right back to Knuckles and gently tickled him again. If any of the older chimps had bitten his finger, he would very likely have retaliated. Grub is a handsome male chimpanzee and is growing large very rapidly.

Grub born August 15, 1991

Born in Los Angeles at an animal trainer's compound, Grub was pulled from his mother and sold to a Florida tourist attraction when he was only a few months old. His first few years were spent in the company of an infant orangutan.

Now at his permanent home in Wauchula, Grub is entering adolescence and is the undisputed head of the sanctuary’s first chimpanzee group. He plays readily with a younger male chimpanzee (Brooks) and three female chimpanzees (Toddy, Kenya, and Noelle). He allows himself to be groomed by the others, and occasionally grooms them in return.

Grub eagerly participates in all types of enrichment activities. He likes to paint and gets very excited when he sees the staff with brushes and canvases. In 1996, he was featured on the NBC Today Show in a story about animals and art.

He also likes facemasks and learned years ago how to make a mask from pieces of paper or cardboard by tearing out two eyeholes. When Grub particularly likes a volunteer or visitor, he’ll find a piece of cardboard in his enclosure, tear out a mask with eyeholes, and offer it to the visitor. If no paper or cardboard is available, he’ll find a leaf to make his “mask-gift.”

Grub particularly likes dogs. When the sanctuary's nine-year-old golden retriever was adopted, Grub was very excited to see him, ran over to the edge of the outdoor habitat near the dog, and signed "chase.” He then ran back to get some primate chow biscuits and tossed them out to the very surprised dog.

Even though Grub weighs more than 145 pounds and his displays can be fierce, ending with him throwing large barrels in the air, he can be extremely gentle. He interacts daily with the young chimpanzee Knuckles. Grub grooms and tickles Knuckles and seems to know that he’s special. When Grub once stuck his finger in Knuckles’ mouth (in play)… and received a very hard bite from the baby, he ran screaming and holding his finger, but came right back to Knuckles and gently tickled him again. If any of the older chimps had bitten his finger, he would very likely have retaliated.

Grub is a handsome male chimpanzee and is growing large very rapidly.

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