Margarete Chimpanzee
During her childhood, she worked in a circus and had all her teeth pulled out. Later, she was taken to a commercial chimpanzee breeding facility, where she was used as a "breeder".
Date of birth: 1972
Origin: Chimpanzee Breeding Marco Schwartz (PR)
Sanctuary: Sorocaba, São Paulo/Brazil

Margarete did not have an easy life. During her childhood, she worked in a circus and had all her teeth pulled out. Later, she was taken to a commercial chimpanzee breeding facility in southern Brazil, where she was used as a “breeder”. Her babies were taken away from her shortly after birth.

With the closure of the breeding facility, in 1999/2000, Margarete was finally transferred to the Great Apes Sanctuary of Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil, where she at last found the peace she deserved. Two of her children, Emilio and Noel, also live in Sorocaba, although she has never had contact with them.

Despite being a bit grumpy and stubborn, Margarete overcame her traumas and shows herself to be sociable and gentle. She found a companion in Maria, a chimpanzee who formerly lived in a zoo, with whom she has a beautiful friendship. 

Family
Son
Lives at the Sanctuary.
He is known as the “engineer", because he is very intelligent in everything he does. Noel arrived at the Sanctuary in 2000, along with Samanta.
Date of birth: 12/20/1998
Origin: Marco Schwartz Commercial Chimpanzee Breeding Center (south of Brazil)
Sanctuary: Sorocaba, São Paulo/Brazil
Son
Lives at the Sanctuary.
He was one of the chimpanzees born in a former commercial breeding facility rescued as a baby and transferred to the Sanctuary.
Date of birth: 05/24/2000
Origin: Marco Schwartz Commercial Chimpanzee Breeding Center (south of Brazil)
Sanctuary: Sorocaba, São Paulo/Brazil
Daughter
Lived at the Sanctuary.
in memoriam
She was one of the chimpanzees born in the commercial breeding facility that existed in Brazil and sold to a circus.
Date of birth: 1994
Origin: Marco Schwartz Commercial Chimpanzee Breeding Center (south of Brazil)/Circus
Sanctuary: Sorocaba, São Paulo/Brazil