Molly Badham and a chimp, July 2000

It was unusual to visit Twycross and not see Molly somewhere in the zoo.

I didn't know she went in with adult Chimps but I suppose she had known them since they were babies, still, they are scary creatures!

One time she was driving round the grounds in her little car near closing time and offered me a lift - must have thought I looked tired...

Didn't she once say that Nathalie Evans had commented that one day they would just find her shoe laces in an enclosure She was certainly 'hands-on'.

Gigit said:

Didn't she once say that Nathalie Evans had commented that one day they would just find her shoe laces in an enclosure She was certainly 'hands-on'.

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I hadn't heard that. Knowing of some of the horrific attacks that have been made on human carers by so-called 'tame' Chimpanzees in the USA, she could have been right. Whereas the keeper sitting next to the female(?) Gorilla I would say is 100% safe.

Pertinax said:

Whereas the keeper sitting next to the female(?) Gorilla I would say is 100% safe.

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Except that the gorilla was sitting on her lap! Pins and needles at least, I'd say

I've been flicking through 'Molly's Zoo' where she said: "We always encourage our keepers to become attached to their animals, and treat them as their own..." Leading by example!

I remember as a small child seeing Molly driving round the zoo in her car. As the car approached the chimps (I think) the whole troop suddenly woke up and began running around and calling ever so loudy. She stopped the car and got out and then all the chimps basically lined up for and waiting for some treats which were thrown into the enclosure!