STC sadly announces that our beloved Thoto has passed away of heart failure, at the estimated age of 46. Thoto was most likely born in Africa. He was captured & brought to the U.S. as an infant, and was trained as a circus performer. During his tenure with the circus, he performed with the well-known clown Emmett Kelly, Jr. & even made an appearance at The White House. In '86, Thoto was sent to The Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, NM, where he was used for breeding & biomedical research.
Thoto was rescued by STC in 2002. He was living alone in a building called "The Dungeon," but was introduced to other chimps prior to relocating to his new island home in Florida. His journey was documented by PBS in its Nature documentary "Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History." Thoto enjoyed the friendship of his companions Scarlett, Millie, & Shakey, and was showered with affection by his adoring caregivers. He was well known for his fondness for blankets, shoes, headbands, and spaghetti.
A tribute from Thoto's most adoring fan...Dr. Jocelyn Bezner
We said goodbye to a truly special chimp when our beloved Thoto succumbed to heart failure. It's a deeply personal & solemn time when one of our chimps passes away & a remarkable quietness settles over the entire sanctuary. Everyone loved Thoto, but he held a very special place in my heart, as anyone will tell you. Whenever I mourn a death here, it brings back memories of the wonderful animal friends I've enjoyed through the years. I think of Lili, my 1st dog who showed me the joy of the human-animal bond , Max-a-Million, (the wonder cat that wasn't afraid of anything ) & dear Dudley-Do- Right, a lab that could do no wrong in my book. I think back over the patients I've cared for & how they taught me that all animals deserve a life free from suffering. Of course, I think of the many chimps I've had to say goodbye to over the past 10 years, way too many to write about here. I remember Dana, the grand dame of STC, who showed me how incredibly forgiving & resilient research chimps can be & taught me never to give up until they give up. I reflect on how big handsome Ron came back from the brink of death to live another 6 years enjoying life in Florida. I still remember holding my breath as I watched his big hands surround tiny Melody & how gentle he was with her.
Thoto's beginning was different from the typical research chimp. He was bought as an infant & raised by humans to be a circus performer. Like most entertainment chimps, as he matured he became impossible to control. All of his teeth were removed. Eventually, he was sent to The Couslton Foundation, a lab that eventually closed because of animal welfare violations. Our founding director, Dr Carole Noon, had a special place in her heart for these unfortunate chimps caught between 2 worlds. They were too dangerous to live in the human world, yet they had no understanding of the nuances of chimp etiquette. I can't imagine what those first months at Coulston were like for Thoto, left by the only family he knew & put in a cold, cement cage surrounded by screaming chimps.
There are a lot of sad stories surrounding research chimps, but today I want to celebrate Thoto's life after STC rescued him & 265 other chimps from the bankrupt Coulston Foundation. I want to tell you how much fun it was to transport Ron & Thoto to Florida in the specially designed truck that allowed me ride in the back with them and monitor their health. Ron slept most of the way, but Thoto & I shared treats, played tickle, watched videos and napped our way across Texas, Louisiana and Florida. It was wonderful to see them go out on the island for the 1st time, an event documented in the award-winning film, "Chimpanzees - An Unnatural History", by Alison Argo. Ron was tentative as left the building, but Thoto grabbed his blankets, leapt out of the door, said goodbye to spectators & ran out on the island to sleep under the stars. It was a precedent that continued for the rest of his life.
Thoto loved being outside. He had a favorite spot under a clump of trees by the water and one day Kyle, one of his caregivers, counted 52 blankets in his nest. When you stopped by, he would pop his head up over the grassy knoll & then come running to say hello. You got the feeling that he enjoyed your company as much as you his & it was a pleasure spending time with him. I'll admit it: 2 years ago, after we revived Thoto from a near-death experience due to his heart condition, I started spoiling him rotten. He loved shoes, bunny ears, spaghetti, pizza, & sunglasses in that order. He was fascinated by well -manicured toes & preferred the company of women to men.
I miss Thoto every day & I tear up writing this. I've added him to the beings that I carry forever in my heart. My heart is getting very heavy......but I can't imagine my life without these wonderful chimps. I am blessed to have known all of them.