After sharing the news that Ai the chimpanzee has passed away, we received so many kind words and thoughtful messages. We are deeply grateful for your warmth and support. All those who watched over Ai, cheered for her, and walked alongside her over the years helped make her life such a rich and meaningful one.
Through this blog, we would like to look back on Ai's life little by little, and share the memories and records she left with us. By keeping a record of the expressions and behaviors she showed us in both research and daily life, we hope to share with you something of what Ai gave to all of us.
There are still ten chimpanzees living together at the facility today. Through this blog, we also hope to share glimpses of their everyday lives and the relationships they have with one another.
For this installment of our "Seasonal Treats" series, we're featuring the delights of summer. It is now the season when we can harvest plums on the institute grounds. The fruits, once green, gradually ripen into a deep red color.
On June 19, we celebrated Cleo's birthday!
June is Akira's birthday month! Akira's exact birthday is unknown, but is estimated to have been born in June 1976. He turned 50 this year. He's the same age as Ai and Mari, and they've spent many years together.