Synopses

May 25, 2021

Lucy The Human Chimp Synopsis

Max

Lucy the Human Chimp

In September 1976, Janis Carter, a 25-year-old graduate student at the University of Oklahoma, answered an ad seeking a chimp caretaker. Part of an experiment conducted by psychologists Maurice and Jane Temerlin, the chimpanzee, Lucy, was isolated from her own species and raised as a human since birth. Though it was not part of her job description, Janis quickly developed a connection with Lucy, who was desperate for companionship outside of her family unit. When the Temerlins decided it was their duty to return Lucy to the wild, they invited Janis to come to Gambia to help the chimp acclimate to a rehabilitation project there. While the Temerlins said their goodbyes after the first couple of weeks, Janis worried about Lucy’s mental state and extended her stay – first by weeks, then months, then years – putting her studies on hold to focus solely on Lucy.

After the project expanded with the arrival of three young chimps, Janis stepped up to help with their adjustment, moving with the group to an uninhabited island on the Gambia River. With her only link to the outside world a boat that brought food and letters, Janis began to drift away from her old life but was determined to stay with Lucy until she could survive on her own. Through Janis’ years of hard work and sacrifice, Lucy eventually became the only chimp humanized from birth to live successfully in the wild. Years after Lucy’s mysterious death in 1987, Janis continues to remember her companion fondly, noting that the experience has proven entirely unforgettable.