Cuban biologist raises 2 chimps in Havana apartment

HAVANA — Over the last year Ada and Aduma have broken Marta Llanes’ television and computer key board, chewed her telephone to pieces and ruined much of her furniture.

She has forgiven them every transgression. It’s hard to stay angry at a baby chimpanzee when it clambers up your leg and into your arms and plants a kiss on your cheek in a plea for forgiveness.

While zoos in other countries may have specialized facilities for raising baby animals, in Cuba the job falls to Llanes, a 62-yearold zoologist who has cared for 10 baby chimps in her central Havana apartment since she started working at the city zoo in 1983.

It’s hard work that requires watching the apes nearly 17 hours a day until they are returned to the zoo after their first birthday.

“I try to be the mother chimpanzee,” Llanes said. “If they say ‘hu,’ I say ‘hu.’ If they want me to drop to the floor, I drop to the floor. The only thing I can’t do is swing. I used to do it, but I can’t anymore, but they have to be taught to swing. They have to be taught everything.”

She leaves a few hours each week when another zoologist delivers milk, fruit and cleaning products, and cares for the animals while Llanes takes a break.

Llanes’ apartment looks like any that’s home to two infants, albeit infants able to scramble up chairs, tables and any other object.

Ada, the female, is 13 months old, and the male Anuma is 15 months. Both wear diapers.

Llanes lives in a fifthfloor apartment in a building with dozens of residents, most of whom say the chimps are good neighbors.

“They don’t bother anyone,” said Cari Dib, a 65year-old housewife. “Plus, they’re adorable.”

RAMON ESPINOSA/AP Zoologist Martha Llanes feeds Ada, a baby chimpanzee, while Anuma II, right, looks on, in Llanes’ place in Havana.