Wild Chimpanzee enter their "youth stage" around the age of 8 or 9, preparing to join the adult group. This is a crucial period when they separate from their mothers, gradually begin to be treated as adults, and deepen their relationships with other members of the group.
Tama Zoo also has Chimpanzee, Anna and Bonbon, who are in their adolescence. Since May, as the first step towards their independence, the mother and child have been kept separately.

Anna (female, 8 years old) had been living with her mother Marina and brother Max, but to encourage independence, she was given a separate bedroom and put in a different enclosure during the day from Marina and Max starting May 13, 2013.

At first, Anna seemed confused, but after a few days she calmed down and quickly adapted to living alone. When she went out into the same enclosure as Marina and the others on June 6th, she didn't seem particularly happy about the long-awaited reunion, and her calm demeanor was striking. I think this is partly due to the fact that Marina hasn't paid her much attention since Max was born, but watching Anna, I can't help but think, "That's just how teenage girls are."

On the other hand, the situation was a little different for Bonbon (male, 7 years old) compared to Anna. Bonbon, who lived alone with his mother Cherry, was very clingy. Cherry also seemed to adore her son. When they were given separate sleeping quarters on June 2nd, Bonbon looked at Cherry through the peephole with an anxious expression. The next day, the two were put into separate enclosures, but they were restless, screaming and making loud noises at each other.

When they were reunited on July 6th, Cherry carried Bonbon under her arm as if to say, "I'm never leaving you again!", preventing him from entering the room alone. This made everyone in charge smile wryly. More than a month has passed since then, and now they seem to have gotten used to being separated, entering and leaving the sleeping area without any trouble. However, they still spend a lot of time together in the free-range area, so it seems that it will take a little more time for this mother and child to become independent from each other.

Photo above: Anna relaxing in her room.
Photo below: Bonbon spending time with her mother, Cherry, in the enclosure.

[Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

(August 16, 2013)