HE DIED IGNORED BY EVERYONE

Ham, most known as number 65 of North-American Air Force, was pulled out of his mother chest at Cameroon Republic some moment in 1959, when he was less than two years old. He was then sent by poachers to Miami Rare Bird Farm.

The Air Force bought him a few months later and sent him to Holloman Air Base, in Alamogordo, where his suffer began with the justification of saving the lives of future North-American astronauts. Ham was a guinea pig and was used this way when he was three and a half years old. A baby chimpanzee who should be breast fed was sent in a tiny capsule to 200 kilometers away from Earth in the space, at an incredible speed of 7000km/h during 16 and a half minutes.

Hum was trained to drive his transport vehicle, where he used to pass part of the day in training. Ham did everything with perfection. After the flight, he fell in the ocean 170 km away from the base, from where he was rescued after several hours in good health condition, but completely horrified with the experience sensed of high speed, no gravity and landing in the middle of the ocean.

A historic photo, misunderstood by those who do not know the gestures and expression of emotions in chimpanzees, was defined as a smile, when in fact was showing panic and distress for the experience. Ham was one of the luck chimpanzees who were saved after living for years being used in invasive medical experimentation. He was transferred to National Zoo in 1963, where he lived by himself for 17 years, and later was sent to Carolina Zoo, where he was able to live with other chimpanzees and died very young, at the presumed age of 26 – 22 years after his space travel.

A decade ago, Dra. Carole Noon managed to save some of those unhappy beings from North-American Air Force through Justice. Save the Chimps Sanctuary paid homage last January 31 to Ham and all his companions, including Enos, the first chimpanzee to orbit on Earth, and Minnie, who left two sons – Rebel e Li’L Mini live at the sanctuary.

Director of the sanctuary, Jen Feuerstein, pointed the barbarity committed against this group of baby chimpanzees, who should be with theirs mothers and not suffering with that terrifying experience in January 1961.

Once Dra. Carole Noon affirmed: “They have bravely served their country. They are heroes and veterans”. However, they were treated as merely objects by the absurd space chimp program, which at the time was a way of the most powerful countries show their strength and dominance.

Ham, most known as number 65, and his partners saved the lives of many humans in space projects. It is a shame that no one remembers them and they continued to be exploited and have their rights not completely recognized yet in human society, which they served and offered their lives.

Dr. Pedro A Ynterian
President, GAP Project International