They are strong and aggressive animals who routinely kill much larger creatures in the wild. Male chimps usually stand about 4 to 5 1/2 feet tall and weigh from 100 to 120 pounds, experts say. 45-caliber revolver and headed toward the cages. “Get your gun!” Brauer yelled to her son-in-law, Mark Carruthers, who was at her home with his wife and infant son, Chealander said. Virginia Brauer gave chase, and soon found the chimps mauling the Davises, Chealander said. The male chimps - Buddy, 15, and Ollie, 13 - escaped. (Both are quite old for chimps, who rarely live past 50 in the wild or 60 in captivity, according to the Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation group.) She reportedly detained the two females, Suzie, 59, and Bones, 49. Hal Chealander, Virginia Brauer was at home Thursday morning when she was startled to discover that four chimps - two young males and two older females - had gotten out of their cage and entered her home. The ranch is owned by Ralph and Virginia Brauer and has been licensed by the state since 1996 to take in primates, usually from zoos that no longer want them.Īccording to Kern County Sheriff’s Cmdr. The chimpanzees were housed in outdoor cages at the Animal Haven Ranch, a private sanctuary tucked into a grassy fold in the hills a few miles south of Lake Isabella. “He stayed out of this one,” said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game.Īmong the questions for which there were no immediate answers: How did the two chimps escape? And why did they attack? The attack ended when the son-in-law of the sanctuary’s owners shot and killed the two rampaging chimps. “James saw that, pushed me behind a table and took the brunt of everything else,” she said. One of the chimps pushed her against her husband, and at some point her left thumb was bitten off, she said. “I turned around and they started charging,” she said. Moe, according to other accounts, was still in his cage.

Own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass.LaDonna, 64, said she was sitting at a table with her husband, getting ready to cut the chimp’s birthday cake, when she saw the two other chimps out of the corner of her eye. Them the chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his Only after he became too tired to resist.Īt the time of the 2003 incident, police said the Herolds told Treats and ice cream in an attempt to lure him, but subdued him Incident in 2003 when he escaped from his owners' vehicle inĭowntown Stamford for two hours. Police have dealt with the animal in the past, including an Maybe from the medications he was out of sorts. We have no indication of whatĬonklin said the chimp has been ill from Lyme disease, 'so 'He rides in a car every day, he opens doors, he's a 'He's been raised almost like a child by this family,' Conklin Television pilot, according to a 2003 story in The Advocate Well-known around Stamford because he rode around in trucksīelonging to his owners' towing company, Travis appeared on TVĬommercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola when he was younger, made anĪppearance on the 'Maury Povich Show' and took part in a Two police officers also suffered injuries. Herold was also taken to the hospital after she began having chest pains, officials said. She suffered life-threatening injuries with severe facial and extremity bites and lacerations, according to fire officials. The victim was identified as 55-year-old Charla Nash. Home, through the house and to his living quarters, where he had Trail of his blood down the driveway, into the open door of the Officer who then shot the chimpanzee several times, Conklin said.

Opened the door to one cruiser and started to get in, trapping an The officers, who retreated into their cars, Conklin said. Officers set up security so medics could reach theĬritically injured woman lying on the ground, Conklin said.Īs the woman was treated, the chimpanzee went after several of Travis ran away and started roaming on Herold's property. Police arrived on the scene a short time later. Pet numerous times in an effort to save her friend, who was really 'She retrieved a large butcher knife and stabbed her longtime Richard Conklin said Herold wrestled with the animal, Police said they had no idea why the 15-year-old chimpanzee,Īttacked the woman. Witnesses told Eyewitness News that when that friend arrived, she got out of her car and Travis immediately attacked her. Travis apparently wanted to go for a ride, investigators said. The owner, 70-year-old Sandy Herold, called a friend to help get the chimp named Travis back into the house. According to police, the 200-pound chimp somehow found the keys to the house at 241 Rock Rimmon Road shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Woman attacked by chimpanzee