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 in a very small space. Animal experiments on apes have been banned in Austria since 1997 and 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 bankrupt estate and have been under our protection ever since. When the free-born chimpanzee was finally allowed to move from the experimental laboratory to the monkey house in 2002, she had been kept in isolation for 16 years. You can see this in the humble chimpanzee's face. During the construction work for the outdoor enclosures, she often sat at the window and watched. Pünktchen is our artist. In her group's living room, we often see her spending hours working with jute cloths and wood wool. She weaves real works of art and obviously uses them to distract herself - from her sad life story, the terrible capture, the posture, the confinement in the laboratory. She is obviously successfully combating her traumatization. Because Pünktchen has learned to laugh heartily and loves to romp around the living room with Clyde. She tries to win Gabi and Ingrid's affection and is very active in grooming. Pünktchen makes sure that she can enjoy moments of togetherness with Clyde.
