Most of the ex-laboratory chimpanzees were stolen from the jungle as baby monkeys and had to watch their families being killed. Once they arrived in Austria, they were kept in an experimental laboratory for 30 years, without contact with other apes and in a very small space. Animal experiments on great apes have been banned in Austria since 1997. Since then, the chimpanzees have been reclaiming their lives. The management and care of the animals was handed over to the safari park in Gänserndorf, which finally went bankrupt in 2004. Since then, their fate has been uncertain. In 2009, they were taken over by Gut Aiderbichl from a bankruptcy estate and have been under our protection ever since. Kathi is an energetic playmate, especially for Fips. Kathi is wise, tolerant and displays a high level of social behavior - she tries to de-escalate arguments. She suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and used to lose her hair under stress. However, she now has a more beautiful coat - a sure sign that she suffers much less from stress and anxiety than before. She seems to have come to terms with her past. She is also a skillful and patient hive user, using tools to hollow out nuts, hide and collect honey. She often does this for Fips, who steals her hard-earned food, but she accepts this lovingly and calmly.
