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Life

15th Dec 2019

BBC to make a three-part series about a home for orphaned baby chimpanzees

Our hearts!

Paul Moore

This is going to be emotional.

While the breathtaking visuals, dulcet tones of David Attenborough, and extensive research into our planet are a large reason why BBC’s nature documentaries are  loved by all, there’s one reason that’s easy to forget.

They all tell a gripping story that demands the viewer’s emotional investment.

Well, the latest series that has been commissioned by the BBC is bound to interest animal lovers because Baby Chimp Rescue will document the day-to-day life in a home for orphaned baby chimpanzees.

The orphanage is run by wildlife vet Jimmy Desmond and his wife Jenny. The Desmonds started with just two rescued baby chimps, saved from the illegal pet trade, but now their home is bursting at the seams with 21 orphans to look after.

The synopsis states that: “The chimp babies run riot around the compound they share with a pack of adopted dogs, as they learn to play with their new adopted siblings. Baby chimps form very close bonds with their mothers during their early years, so Jimmy, Jenny and a small army of care-givers work around the clock to help the babies recover from their trauma.

“Despite battling financial worries and an overflowing home, the Desmonds are determined to achieve their dream of moving the chimps to a more natural habit: a 100-acre forest surrounded by mangroves.”

Professor Ben Garrod, evolutionary biologist and conservationist, will help the Desmonds teach the chimps vital life lessons such as climbing, foraging for food and recognising danger. Together, the team hope that the chimps will grow up to live independent lives within their new home.

Speaking about the three-part series, Professor Garrod has said: “We are in a global crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss, and with everything seeming like an ecological uphill struggle, the story of the Desmonds battling to save our closest living relatives is a much needed good-news story. If we can save Max, Bui and their relatives, then it gives us hope for the future of countless other species, including ourselves.”

At present, no premiere date has been set for Baby Chimp Rescue but we fully expect this to match the impeccable standards that the BBC’s nature productions have already set.

Main image via BBC

Topics:

BBC,TV