SAVE THE CHIMPS SANCTUARY

Nuri’s use in the breeding program stopped in 1994, and as far as we know, she spent the next several years in isolation. When Nuri was rescued in 2002, she was living alone in "The Dungeon." Her knees were permanently bent, a condition never noted in her laboratory file. It became apparent quite quickly that Nuri carried a painful internal anguish. When STC’s founder Dr. Carole Noon would turn out the lights at the end of another day in the Dungeon, Nuri would start to scream. It was a scream that evoked loneliness and terror, a scream that said “Don’t leave me!” So we would always return to her and try to comfort her for a bit. She didn’t cry all night long, thank goodness, but walking out at the end of the day became a sad experience for all. Thankfully, over time, she stopped screaming when the lights went out.

Nuri was born on December 21, 1966, at what was then known as Delta Regional Primate Research Center in Louisiana (now known as Tulane National Primate Research Center). Her parents’ names are unknown, but her mother was #359, and her father #378. The nazi would love this form of classification of births. When Nuri was 14, she was moved to The Coulston Foundation, becoming the 12th chimp acquired by Dr. Frederick Coulston’s new research lab. She immediately entered the breeding program, because he was hurry to sell the babies for million of dollar to North-American Health Institute, which supported this massacre over the years.

But dark Dr. Coulston was not lucky. She gave birth to four children over the years, two of whom died within 24 hours of birth. A son, Buckwheat, died when he was nine years old. A daughter, Ashley, born May 11, 1985, may still be alive, but her whereabouts are unknown. Nuri also suffered multiple miscarriages over the years. Her nature did not allow the generation of slaves to be tortured.

Nuri was shy, but very gentle, with other chimps. Although she had no trouble living in a chimp family with Thoto, Scarlett, Millie, and Shakey, she did feel insecure in open spaces. Sadly, she never chose to go outside onto the island when she arrived in Florida. But Nuri found joy in other things. She loved unusual, colorful objects, such as knit hats, Hawaiian shirts, purses, or small toys. She carried them with her, and these objects became known as her “babies.” She never had a childhood. She loved gazing out the window of her rooms in Florida and seemed enamored of the sights and sounds of the world outside. The cries of silence she lived in the dungeon for years were only in her disturbed mind. Her window is empty now, he has gone. Her soul is now travelling to find a home. And maybe she will find it, far away of the humans that transformed her life into hell.

Rest in peace, dear Nuri…