He was captured in the forest when he was still very young. It is believed that he was ripped from his mother by traffickers, being pulled by the legs, as he has a condition called bilateral coxofemoral dislocation. This chronic condition progressed to significant atrophy of both pelvic limbs and difficulty moving. Because of this, he walked using only his arms.

Charlie spent his entire childhood in a poor zoo in Lebanon in a very small enclosure, where he was forced to take photographs with visitors. After reports of mistreatment, he was rescued by an NGO that sent him to Anami. On July 11, 2014, after a long three-day journey, he arrived in Brazil very thin and malnourished.

During the quarantine period—an isolation time required by environmental agencies for any animal coming from outside the country—some exams were performed, such as X-rays, which confirmed the dislocation as well as arthritis in the shoulders due to overload from moving around.

At the Sanctuary, he received veterinary treatments including physiotherapy sessions for his legs. By 2015 he was already walking like a chimpanzee, using all four limbs. Because he was very humanized and lived isolated from other chimpanzees throughout his life, he only accepts interaction with his caretakers. Charlie is very intelligent and calm.