Escape To Chimp Eden Episode Guide, Season 1 - Pazsaz Entertainment Network

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Josephine: Race For Life
Eugene is racing against time to rescue a chimpanzee called Josephine from a run-down printing factory in Angola before her current owners carry out their threat to euthanize her. While waiting for the results of blood tests that will determine whether Josephine can leave the country, Eugene discovers two baby chimps in appalling circumstances. He can't leave them where they are, but he can't delay leaving Angola with Josephine. Desperate to re-house the two youngsters, Eugene cuts a disused cage out of the abandoned zoo in Luanda and takes it away on a truck to a new safe house. He hopes to get all three out, but with time running out for Josephine he is forced to leave the two youngsters behind. He has just enough time to move them to the new safe house before jumping on a plane with Joesphine. He gets her back to the sanctuary but must immediately start planning his return to Angola.

Saving Sampa And Tony
At Chimp Eden, Eugene is waiting for the results of blood tests on Sampa and Tony, the two young chimps that he's been forced to leave in Angola. But life at the sanctuary is not running smoothly either. Sally, the young female that inspired Eugene to start Chimp Eden, is proving tough to integrate with the other chimps. She sees herself as Eugene's special "child" and will only come in at night when he carries her. But as soon as the blood tests for Sampa and Tony come back positive, Eugene forgets the problems with Sally and rushes to Luanda to retrieve them. Anxious about giving the two young chimps more drugs, Eugene is determined to rescue them without anesthetic. But Sampa and Tony have grown accustomed to the temporary cage that Eugene fixed up for them and don't want to go into the tiny transport crate. It's a battle of wills and Sampa resists everything Eugene tries. Only after 6 hours does she finally fall asleep long enough for Eugene to move her. At the end of an exhausting night he is now racing against time to get the to chimps out of Angola before his permit expires. Back at Chimp Eden, Eugene can concentrate on working with the chimps teaching them the skills they'll one day use to start a new life in the wild, only to find that Sally, who improved when he was away, is up to her old tricks again.

The Code Of Jao
Every day Eugene takes his life in his hands to go into Chimp Eden's kindergarten, which is where all the youngest chimps are placed in the custody of 43-year-old Jao. He acts like a grandfather to babies, but Jao is also unpredictable and potentially very dangerous. Eugene needs to work hands-on with the young chimps and he's developed an extraordinary and delicate ritual with Jao to let him in. He may only enter if Jao invites him in, literally extending his hand and personally escorting Eugene. It's a charming but crucial protocol that puts Eugene below Jao in the hierarchy. For emergency security Eugene carries a small canister of CO2. It makes a noise that scares the chimps, but when he drops it Jao picks it up and discharges it. Eugene's security is compromised and all he has left is pepper spray that he's loathe to use. But during a climbing lesson for Cozi, high up in a tree, Jao becomes fixated on Eugene's boot and tries to pull it off. 20 feet up and fearing for his life, Eugene pepper sprays Jao and runs for his life, escaping through an electric fence. Now he fears that the bond he developed with Jao is ruined and, with that, his ability to go into the baby enclosure. It takes days to rebuild his relationship with a clearly angry Jao, but eventually he lets Eugene back in for a heartwarming but tense reunion.

Trouble With Xena
Xena, a 4-year-old female, is threatening to mess up Eugene's unique relationship with Jao and compromise his access to the baby enclosure. Every time that Eugene goes in, Xena attacks him. He can't respond to her challenges for fear of enraging the powerful Jao, but Eugene knows that to maintain order he must put Xena in her place. The next time Xena attacks Eugene, he takes her into the sleeping quarters to remind her who's boss. Eugene's face-off with Xena seems successful, but then Cozi starts to act up, picking a fight with Jao. It's like whack-a-mole: just as Eugene sorts out one problem, another rears its head. Again the stability of the baby enclosure is threatened. Jao snaps and attacks Cozi, mauling his foot and putting him in his place. Once again it looks like order has been re-established, but after the fight Xena escapes. She's in danger of getting into the adult enclosure and might be killed. Eugene climbs a tree, coaxing the troublesome infant onto his shoulders by talking "chimp" to her. She runs back to granddad Jao for a touching reunion. Peace breaks out!

Angola Girls, Free At Last
Rescued from a decade spent in tiny cages in Angola, Mimi, Lika and Gida are about to taste freedom for the first time. And, Eugene soon enjoys the fruits of his efforts as the girls will have open spaces, sunshine and trees to climb. But, his girls must share the space with three tough males who have never met a female before. It's likely to be a tough introduction, and there's hardly anything Eugene can do to protect them.

Zac And Jinga: Mystery Chimps
Zac and Jinga are two "mystery" chimpanzees that Eugene rescued at the same time as the three Angola girls. They are very different from the other residents of Chimp Eden. Their long arms, pink lips and dark faces mean they might be a different species of chimpanzee called a bonobo. Eugene has been keeping them in a separate enclosure until DNA tests can show whether they are normal chimps or not. If Zac and Jinga turn out to be bonobos, Eugene won't be able to keep them at Chimp Eden - they'll have to go to a different sanctuary, which would be heartbreaking after all he did to rescue them. Eugene is overjoyed when the news comes that Zac and Jinga are regular chimps and can stay with him, but now he has to decide whether they join the infant group or the adults. After doing personality tests on the pair, Eugene decides Zac and Jinga must be separated and there is a touching moment as the two former "bonobos" go their separate ways. Zac, who's gentle and underdeveloped is going to join the infants, while the strong-willed female Jinga will go in the adult group. The first time a new chimp joins an existing "family" is always nerve-wracking. Eugene is really concerned how Zac will get on with Jao and Cozi. The introduction in the sleeping quarters goes well, but the real test will be when they all get outside. Zac immediately bonds with grandpa Jao and it's oddball Cozi who is once again left out. Zac enjoys a dream introduction, but things are set to be a whole lot tougher for Jinga!

A Rough Start For Jinga
Jinga is one of the "mystery chimps" who's just been allowed to stay at Chimp Eden and is going to be moved into the adult enclosure. It's going to be a trial by fire for her as she joins an established group of three big males and three adult females. Eugene is very worried because he knows how strong-willed Jinga is and anticipates trouble when she's introduced to the males. His fears are confirmed when Jinga refuses to be subordinate to the males when she meets them in the sleeping quarters. There's a violent confrontation and Jinga suffers some wounds, but nothing too bad, so Eugene decides it will be alright to let Jinga out into the main enclosure. With a vet armed with pepper-spray pellets standing by, the doors are opened and Jinga is out on her own. She doesn't last long! Jinga is so terrified by the violent treatment meted out by Abu, Amadeus and Nicky that she bolts out of the enclosure and over the electric fence. Eugene rushes to her rescue and manages to coax her back into the enclosure that she and Zack shared before their release. She knows it as a safe place, but Jinga cannot remain alone. When Eugene reintroduces her to the adults, another beating ensues and, again, Jinga escapes! Eugene leads her back into her old enclosure. But now Eugene faces the tough decision: does he try again or accept the fact that Jinga will never be integrated into the group?

Eight Babies For Eugene
Eugene's off on a mission to Sudan to rescue five orphaned baby chimps, but this mission is different. The stakes are much higher for Eugene. His wife, Natasha, is seven months pregnant. When Eugene arrives in Sudan, he realizes he's got a very difficult situation. The clan at the safe-house has grown to seven babies but Eugene's permit only allows him to take five chimps back to the sanctuary. He has to decide which two chimps must stay behind. He hopes that by getting to know each chimp individually he can make a calculated decision. The baby that needs to go to the sanctuary most desperately is Bruce, who's sick and according to Eugene has lost the will to live. Eugene wants to take him, but he's too ill to travel. Meanwhile, Eugene calls home to Natasha. He worries she's keeping something from him. And he was right. Natasha goes to see her doctor because she's having early contractions. It's even more important that Eugene get home in case she goes into premature labor. But, there's a problem: a huge rainstorm blows in, which could make it impossible for his plane to land - the dirt airstrip is flooded. The seven-month rainy season has just begun. It could take Eugene a very long time to get out of Sudan... time he doesn't have. And Bruce has taken a turn for the worse.

Mission Chimpossible: Eugene's Choice
We're back in Sudan and Eugene has no idea when he can return to Natasha. While he waits for the place to dry out, Eugene uses his time wisely. He wants to try to stop the chimpanzee bush meat trade in Sudan. Eugene travels through the war-torn countryside to Wau, a notorious bush meat trading town. He takes his life in his hands when he catches a ride on the back of a de-mining truck. There's only one road leading to Wau that's been cleared of landmines, but the recent heavy rains have dislodged the mines and they have floated into the road. Eugene visits both the Wau Zoo and Wau Market and finds no live chimps. But he does find evidence of the trade: vendors selling smoked-cured monkey and ape body parts. Eugene heads back to his tent that evening and reflects on the emotional experience of having touched bush meat for the first time, knowing it's one chimp he couldn't save. Back at the safehouse, Eugene is given a warm welcome by the seven babies and he receives the good news that his plane is arriving the next day. But this means Eugene must finally decide which of the seven babies he must leave behind. Mowgli is too young and sickly, Bruce is still too ill to travel and Eugene fears he could contaminate all the other chimps. It's one of the toughest decisions Eugene's had to make; he fears that leaving them may prove to be a death sentence. After flying through a storm he gets the five babies back to South Africa. Natasha goes into labor and while waiting at the hospital he gets word from Sudan that little Bruce is dead. One life lost and one gained. Eugene's beautiful baby girl, Haley, is born.

The Rise Of Cozi
There's a problem at Chimp Eden and his name is Cozi. Cozi is the sanctuary's Jekyll and Hyde chimp - lovable and funny one minute, aggressive and hostile the next. Ever since Zac was introduced into the infant enclosure, Cozi has been acting out and stirring up trouble. His place in the hierarchy is threatened because Zac is older and stronger. That's a problem on two levels. If Zac replaces Cozi as number two in the group, it endangers Eugene's ability to go inside the enclosure to work directly with the chimps. Then there's the five baby chimps recently rescued from the Sudan. Their quarantine period is almost complete. How will Cozi respond when the babies are released into the enclosure? Eugene has a special bond with Cozi (he calls him his "wing man") and he hopes that a one-on-one session with the troubled chimp will calm the situation. Meanwhile, the sanctuary faces a different kind of threat. A brush fire has broken out on the reserve. With no fire department in the area, Eugene, his father and the sanctuary crew must fight the flames themselves. In the midst of this effort, Eugene receives an emergency call. Cozi's erratic behavior has escalated. He's bitten off the finger of animal behaviorist Jessica Ney. This raises new concerns about the safety of the baby chimps about to be released. Will Cozi accept the newcomers, or will he turn hostile... and attack them?

Baby Booming At Chimp Eden
It's an important day at Chimp Eden. The five baby chimps that Eugene recently rescued from the Sudan have completed their time in quarantine and are ready to join the other chimps in the infant enclosure. It's an exciting time, but there is also plenty of cause for concern. Eleven-year-old Cozi has been acting up and has even attacked the sanctuary's animal behaviorist, biting off part of her right index finger. Now, no one knows how Cozi will react to the newcomers. Eugene can only hope that when the introduction happens, the alpha male Jao will protect the young ones if Cozi decides to go after them. But before the introduction can happen, the new chimps get their own special orientation. They have to be fence-trained so they won't try to breach the electrified fence and escape. When the day of the introductions finally arrives, Eugene is in for a big surprise. Far from attacking the babies, Cozi embraces them like a loving uncle. In fact, it is Jao who seems upset by their presence. It's an unexpected turn of events. In the end, Jao also accepts the infants, but not without some anxious moments.

The New Order
The first season of Escape to Chimp Eden has seen dramatic changes. The sanctuary has added 13 new chimps, nearly tripling its population to 20. This motley assortment of orphaned, abused and malnourished chimps has evolved into two strong, dynamic family groups. The adult enclosure now has seven chimps, after adding four new females to the three males already in residence. And there's another female waiting to join them. The population boom in the infant enclosure is even more impressive. The year began with four chimps in the group. Now there are 10, with two more currently in quarantine and waiting to be introduced. The rapid growth of the infant group presents Eugene with a difficult challenge. If he is to rehabilitate these chimps, he must have access to the infant enclosure. But with so many new arrivals, his place in the hierarchy is in question. Eugene must figure out a way to be accepted into this new family group, but it's a risky undertaking. If one of the older chimps resents his presence, that chimp could attack one of the younger chimps, or even Eugene himself. Eugene's re-integration efforts represent a crucial turning point for Chimp Eden. If he succeeds, it will mark the beginning of a new phase in the rehabilitation of the chimps. If he fails, the sanctuary's mission could be in jeopardy.