Chimpanzee couple checks in at Lonavla

Luxury holiday destination treats its pair of South African chimpanzees to honey, pista and badam; pamper package includes daily massage by expert masseur, personal attendant and shampoo baths

Chimpanzee couple checks in at Lonavla

Luxury holiday destination treats its pair of South African chimpanzees to honey, pista and badam;
pamper package includes daily massage by expert masseur, personal attendant and shampoo baths

Suzy and Billy, a pair of South African chimpanzees, is living a good life since they were moved to Amby Valley, a holiday and residential destination owned by the Sahara Group in Lonavla a month back. The venue, known for hosting high profile celebrities, has gone on overdrive to meet the needs of the chimps, who have been given a sprawling 5,700 square-yard enclosure built at a cost of Rs 20 lakh that has features like a merry-go-round, a swings, exotic tress and even a fan and a toilet.

Chimps ki champee
A caretaker wakes the chimps every morning with steaming cups of coffee followed by bananas, badam, pista and honey for breakfast.

As if to prevent boredom from setting in from lounging on their hammocks, Suzy and Billy have a daily post-breakfast appointment with a masseur who loosens theirs muscles as they lounge on their luxurious double beds, followed by shampoo baths to keep their fur silky and smooth.

"We bought them from a circus after completing all the mandatory legal formalities. We have made their living as comfortable as possible. Earlier, they were forced to live in small cramped iron cages," said Vivek Sharma, general manager, Amby Valley City.

u00a0Kanhaiya Lal, Suzy and Billy's caretaker, finds the chimps very human. "They love coffee and drink from the mugs like any other human beings, and they can't resist chocolates," said Kanahaiya.

Loving but fierce
Colonel John Debritto, general manager, security system implementation and adventure sports, Amby Valley, said, "The chimps are very playful, sensitive and loving. But they can also be fierce as they have enormous strength. They share a wonderful rapport with Kanhaiya but it's dangerous for others to enter their enclosure," Debritto said. Incidentally, Suzy and Billy, who are both about 24-years-old, are in heat. Officials hope that they mate and produce offspring.u00a0 "Chimps rarely deliver babies in captivity, but we hope to see them frolicking with lovely babies as we have provided them with best possible atmosphere," added Bebritto.

LP Rao, conservator forests, said that it was not illegal to keep chimpanzees provided certain permissions are obtained from the wildlife department. "I am not aware of the specifics of how Sahara has managed to get the chimpanzees, so I am unable to comment on the subject," Rao added.