Last Friday was a special moment for the chimps as Zakayo; the alpha male at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (Uwec) in Entebbe. Zakayo is the oldest-known chimpanzee living in captivity and he celebrated his 44th birthday over the weekend.
On a long table covered in linen stood two large birthday cakes prepared for the bash. Other gifts neatly wrapped included packets of milk, pineapples and bananas. The pupils from different schools presented songs and poems for the occasion and several trees were planted, all to give Zakayo a befitting birthday party.
To crown the occasion, guests planted trees, while school children participated in a quiz organised by UWEC to spread the conservation message. The winner won a trip to the Ngamba Islands, a sancturay that also hosts orphaned and rescued chimpanzees.
Probably the anxious Zakayo and the rest of the chimps banged windows, made noise and thumped their chests before the party begun. The chimps, which usually get out to the wild in the mornings, stayed indoors until 2pm probably waiting for other guests.
Guests who attended the party were delighted as they watched the chimps share cakes and juice. The UWEC said the occasion provided not only an opportunity to celebrate, but also educate the public about the importance of ape conservation.
UWEC public relations officer Niwomujuni Mbagaya said: Zakayo is a historical member of the centre whom we think deserved a celebrated birthday with the public. He added that Zakayo is one of the lucky animals who has lived through all the regimes and survived brutality of former president Idi Amin.
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