Oliver The Humanzee

Unusual As Usual

Oliver was a chimpanzee born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1957.

He was acquired by animal trainers Frank and Janet Berger in 1960 and they observed some physical and behavioural evidence which led them to believe Oliver was perhaps a human-chimp hybrid. A ‘Humanzee' if you will.

When news broke of his discovery officials from a Japanese Television Network, approached him with an offer: they would fund scientific studies to be carried out in Japan, including genetic testing in exchange for the rights to reveal the results live on their national TV show. After his trip to Japan and TV appearance Oliver was sold to the Buckshire Corporation, a Pennsylvania laboratory leasing that leases out animals for scientific and cosmetic testing where his home became a tiny cramped cage.

In 1996, Primarily Primates, an animal sanctuary, petitioned to allow Oliver and 13 other chimpanzees to be transferred to them for retirement and after 9 long years in a tiny cage, Oliver ended up at a spacious, open-air habitat at Primarily Primates, Texas. Oliver died in his sleep on 2nd June 2012 at least 55 years old.

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Fact Analysis: Although careful research is implemented to assure accurate and correct information, sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction (or ‘humbug', as P.T. Barnum would say). If you find any information in this podcast inaccurate, please do let me know via social media.