Meet our chimpanzees!
Posted 27 Jan 2026 in Edinburgh Zoo
We’d love to introduce you to the unique personalities of our chimpanzee troop! Here, we'll explain a little about their family tree, social behaviours and characters.
Chimpanzees are intelligent and emotionally expressive. As a result, they have one of the most intricate social structures in the animal kingdom. Much like humans - who share around 98% of their DNA - they live in tight-knit communities.
Within any one troop, you'll find a mix of ages and responsibilities. These include playful youngsters, nurturing mothers and respected elders. Heading the troop is a dominant male who helps maintain order. Building and maintaining these complex relationships relies on communication and cooperation.
You can visit our troop at the Budongo Trail. This award-winning habitat is an incredible place to observe chimpanzees up close. It’s also part of a wider conservation story, connecting to the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda. Here, conservationists work to protect wild chimpanzees. We have support their efforts for over 20 year. They help protect their rainforest habitat and support local communities.
Liberius
Liberius is the largest chimp in our troop and the current dominant male. He’s quite a calm male and will often sit back and watch if others argue, but will step in if he needs to tell anyone off.
Dominance displays help establish hierarchy within the troop. They reduce the need for constant conflict and keeping social order intact. Liberius' displays can include a large claps or stomping along the highest beams.
His defining features are his tall size, big muscles and slightly pointed ears. He hunches his head low when walking.
Qafzeh
Qafzeh is the previous dominant male of the troop. He still has a high rank and keeps good relationships with the other males.
He looks quite greedy at feeding times when he collects a large amount of food. But if you watch him closely, you’ll see him sharing his stash with lower ranking females.
He can be recognised as he is a muscular chimp with dark and smooth hair.
Lucy
Lucy is the oldest female in the group and is low ranking. She is mother to Liberius, although they have not remained close into adulthood. She was close friends with Qafzeh’s mother, Emma, so her and Qafzeh have a close bond.
She's a round girl, with orange eyes and high hairline. She enjoys a snack, so you might see her begging the other chimps for food.
Kilimi
Kilimi is a high-ranking female. She’s very clever, often using sticks as a tool to retrieve food! She also tries to outwit keepers when they are closing off areas to clean.
She has a slightly grey beard and pretty face, as well as a tufty collar of hair.
Paul
Paul is one the mid-ranking males and has a good relationship with the dominant males. He’s not afraid to stand up for himself or get involved with community disputes.
He can be recognised by his mismatched ears - his right has a notch and his left a split. His bottom lip is often drooping.
Louis
Louis is one of our oldest chimps and was once a dominant male. He is slowing down in his old age, but still enjoys playing with the youngsters. He is a respected member of the community.
To spot him, look out for his dark face, large grey beard and tufty hair.
Edith
Edith is a low-ranking female and daughter to Eva. She loves playing with the group's youngsters. When it's sunny, she likes to roll in the grass.
She has very dark eyes and round ears. She is also quite bald, but she does have a ruff of hair that sticks up on the back of her head.
Frek
Frek is a lower ranking male with a sweet temperament who gets on with everyone in the troop. He prefers to stay out of disputes. He also does not like getting his feet wet. You can see him pulling faces of disgust when heading outside for food what it's raining.
He can be recognised by his pink muzzle with black mottle and white chin beard. He often lies on his back holding onto his feet.
Masindi
Masindi was born to Heleen in February 2020 and is currently the youngest member of the troop. She has a lot of energy for playing. She has a good relationship with everyone in the troop, as they all enjoy playing with her.
Velu
Velu was born in 2014 and is the son of Heleen. He’s very clever and enjoys spending a lot of time playing but can be very mischievous.
He likes to tease old and slow group members by throwing food at them and then runs away before they can catch him.
Lianne
Lianne is the smallest adult member of the group, but she can stand up for herself when needed. Although she likes her alone time, she has a good relationship with the group.
She is a thin chimp with tufty shoulders and a pretty face.
Heleen
Heleen is Velu and Masindi’s mother. She is a good mum and sometimes like to let the youngsters explore on their own with other adults in the group.
She has a dark face with a defined brow. She has more grey fur than other chimps, and a slight hunch.
Sophie
Sophie is quite low ranking, but she is very loyal to her friends. She has taken on the 'aunt' role with Masindi and Velu and can often be seen hanging out with them.
She has a pink and black muzzle and large round ears which stick out.
Babsie
Babsie can be recognised by her light face and eyes. She has a calm and curious temperament and is good friends with fellow chimp Lianne.
She is an Eastern chimpanzee who joined the zoo in late 2025. She arrived from AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection in the Netherlands, who previously rescued her from a circus when she was young.
Each member of our chimpanzee troop has their own story. There’s so much more to discover when you see them in person.
