Kien GiangFrom a newborn that lacked breast milk and required special care, the 10-month-old chimpanzee (named May) has now become a symbol of survival, considered a “hot kid” in Vinpearl Safari.
May is the first chimpanzee born at Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, May 18, 2023. The individual is the first child of a chimpanzee father named Jerry, “naturalized” to Pearl Island from South Africa, and a chimpanzee mother named Baby from Malaysia’s Taiping Zoo. In the early days of May’s birth, Baby’s mother was always attached to her child like a shadow, breastfeeding, catching lice, and playing together.
However, as a first-time mother, she didn’t have enough milk, so Baby didn’t know how to take care of her and handle the situation. On the 11th day of age, May was starved for 13 hours by her mother, causing her health to weaken and her body temperature dropping to 32 degrees Celsius. The care staff and doctors decided to separate May for special care support. according to the set-raising method (raising individual offspring separately in an environment without parents). Rattan is monitored 24/7 in a private room with full medical and nutritional conditions.
As her health gradually recovered, May became the most inspiring character in Vinpearl Safari. Little chimpanzees have funny behaviors, show their ability to interact, and “demand” attention and love from the care staff.
During the time she was raised, she was loved and cared for. Even though he has to live separately every day, Phong – an employee at the zoo – regularly rides his bicycle to take May to the barn to visit his parents. On May Day, the staff and doctors held a candle-blowing event to congratulate the little chimpanzee on his recovery and health. Rattans also have to follow a daily schedule including meal times, play times, visits to parents, feeding times, and climbing practice to develop the species’ wild instincts.
Belonging to a high-level animal, intelligent and strong, in order to be able to fully care for May physically and mentally, at Vinpearl Safari, the barn and display area is firmly built with high walls. Minimum 5.5 m, smooth and flat with no places to climb to avoid escape, deep surrounding moat, double-layer door system, solid steel fence…
Currently, May can live independently, but Mr. Bui Phi Hoang – Head of Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc’s animal care department, said he still regularly takes May to visit his parents. “Looking back at May’s past journey, I am very grateful for the spirit of the staff who directly care for the chimpanzees. They are not only good at their profession, but also love their job, love May, are patient and courageous. Yes,” Mr. Hoang said.
May’s parents have the scientific name Pan troglodytes, originating from Africa, and were brought to Vinpearl Safari under an international conservation program because they are on the list of endangered species (EN) according to the IUCN Red Book. and is included in Appendix One of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES.
In order for Jerry and Baby to reproduce successfully, care staff must carefully monitor the mother’s activities and cycles to calculate the time and pairing plan. After determining that Baby was pregnant with May, the life of the chimpanzee couple was strictly monitored and foods with high nutritional value were supplemented to ensure that mother and child grew and developed normally.
Since its birth, each story and moment of May has been frequently shared and quickly spread. The young chimpanzee became the “idol baby” with the largest number of fans on Tiktok of Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc with interactions of nearly 9 million views, hundreds of thousands of hearts and comments. The “Cloud enthusiast” community on Facebook is equally vibrant as posts about this individual achieve high interaction.
In addition to May, Vinpearl Safari has successfully cared for and reproduced more than 700 individuals, including rare animals such as rhinoceros, giraffes, antelopes, silver langurs, civets, and Pile gibbons…
Tourists sit on electric buses and go into the “free range” area to explore the green forest and animals. Image: Vinpearl
Coming to Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, visitors will have the opportunity to join the green tourism journey at the Phu Quoc United Center complex. In addition, there are educational activities including: interacting and learning to care for young animals at the Kid Zoo area; Educational tours, conservation activities, spreading the message of sustainable development… In addition, there are experiences connecting with nature, such as adventures on an electric bus going into the “wildlife” area. “locked up” to explore green forests and free-living animals; Night Safari experiences the excitement of exploring the green forest at night.
Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc – semi-wild animal care and conservation park with an area of up to 380 hectares, nurturing more than 4,500 individual animals from 200 species in all biogeographic regions of the world, including More than 40 endangered and rare species, along with a diverse ecosystem of about 1,200 plant species. This is the highlight of the green experience at the complex of resort tourism, entertainment, trade and services and is complete with the “one destination for all needs” model operating 24/7 to meet all needs of Phu Quoc. United Center.
Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc is a zoo that has received a certificate from the SEAZA Association in conservation and improvement of animal welfare. The zoo brings together all the natural conditions, facilities, living environment conditions… so that wild animals can be preserved and reproduced to breed and create herds. Animals here are raised according to international standards, including many rare species such as flamingos, Arabian scimitar oryx, Bengal tigers, Sumatran orangutans, white rhinos… In 2024, Vinpearl Safari is recognized by the Worldkings World Records Union as “Safari on an island with the most species diversity with the highest number of individual animals in the world”.