A group of seven chimpanzees is included in my family’s collection of exotic animals. Within the past two years, we have had three baby chimpanzees born here at the zoo. Our chimpanzees honestly, of all our animals, are the most near and dear to our hearts.

Last November we realized that another one of our chimps that we raised was definitely pregnant. This is always great because we love having babies but the money that we sell them for helps support our other animals.

On March 16 I was awoken to my cell phone ringing; it was my father calling at 4:30 in the morning. I thought to myself “how strange?” but Angel, our pregnant chimp, had been getting very close and that was immediately the first thing that came to my mind.

I quickly tried to mumble, “Is it Angel?”

My dad replied, “Yes, yes, hurry I need help because she’s laid it down again!”

Angel is a retired Ringling Bros. chimp who was never allowed to care for a baby and so she always instantly lays it down and leaves it. My dad had been checking her every three hours for the past two weeks, and now it was finally time.

I quickly jumped out of bed, slipped on some clothes, ran to my car, and flew down to the barn where my dad was awaiting my arrival. My adrenaline began to excite me more and more with every step until I finally reached the barn door. I entered and quickly helped my dad get all of the other chimpanzees locked outside. Then we prepared the tranquilizer mixture and darted one of the chimps that wouldn’t go outside.

As soon as the other chimp went to sleep we unlocked the six padlocks and rushed in to aid the newborn. The sweet baby just lay face down and we both hurried in to see if it was alive. As we rolled it over on its back, it began to scream and cry. Relief was the only feeling that I had as we wrapped it in a large towel and hurried to the house.