Allie

Allie was born at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia. When she was eighteen months old, she and her mother were transferred to the Denver Zoo, but sadly, when Allie was only six years old her mother died unexpectedly. Within three months of her mother’s passing, Allie became ill with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), so Allie has no use of her legs or feet. She isn’t paralyzed and can still feel pain, but has a loss of strength and cannot walk. She moves around her habitat and night house using fire hose “vines” to swing from place to place. With physical therapy exercises and stretches, her caregivers are hoping to improve her mobility.

Allie is one determined female who knows what she wants!  After meeting several males, Allie chose Louie as the one she wants to live with.  They are an extremely playful pair. They particularly like to get a roomful of hay to wrestle and laugh together in.  Louie seems to be aware of her disability and will even place his hand on her back to steady her as she moves from the nesting platforms in the habitat to a fire hose “vine.”