Chimpanzee Lucy was born in a circus in 1981 and didn’t know another life until 2007, when she was finally transferred to the Great Apes Sanctuary of Paraná, south of Brazil – Anami Conservation Institute.

Throughout her life in the circus, she gave birth to several children, but had no chance of becoming a mother. The babies were snatched from her on the day they were born, probably to be sold.

When she arrived at the sanctuary, she was pregnant with Noel, who was lucky enough to be born in an environment where he could be cared for by his mother.  As well as Noel, Lucy now lives with two of her other sons, Matheus and Lucas, with whom she had the opportunity to be reintegrated in the sanctuary; and also with Dino, another chimpanzee retired from the circuses stages.

With her dark past in the circus left definitely behind, Lucy plays the role of dominant female in her group and everyone enjoys her company. Her children respect and obey her, especially in moments of tension within the group. She is very intelligent, experienced and calm, as long as she is not disturbed. But when she is, she knows how to impose her authority.