A Farewell to Beanie

August 22, 1989 - October 20, 2004

Beanie as a new arrival at IPPL

eanie came to IPPL in 1991 when he was less than two years old. He had lived at the Lubee Foundation in Florida and was bitten by a mosquito one night during the 1990 encephalitis outbreak there. As a result of contracting this virus, Beanie suffered from blindness and epilepsy. But despite these problems, he was a spunky, loving, and contented little ape who performed gibbon acrobatics with great skill.

pilepsy is often a life-long disease, and Beanie’s seizures continued to occur about once a month. We knew that one day they would get the better of him and were amazed as the years passed by and, somehow, he continued to thrive. He loved grapes and raisin bread and adored having his tummy rubbed by his human friends.

Beanie last summer

pparently, on the evening of October 8, Beanie had what was a very serious seizure. As a result, he lost his ability to sit upright and he seemed to have a great deal of difficulty controlling the use of his arms and legs. He continued to eat well (mostly baby food and his favorite grapes) but after about a week he stopped singing his usual gibbon songs.

ot knowing what was wrong with him, we took Beanie to a local vet facility for a CT scan to try to understand what had happened. Our worst fears were confirmed when we saw that Beanie’s brain had greatly deteriorated, a long-term result of the illness he had suffered as a baby. We knew right then that there was no hope of his recovery so, surrounded by people who knew and loved him, we quietly had him put to sleep.

He loved both his human and animal friends, like Shirley and our blind dog Bullet

n spite of his handicaps, he lived a full and happy life at IPPL for 13 years. He now lies buried under a fig tree near his mother and father, Clementine and Cleon, in our gibbon cemetery behind the IPPL guest cottage.

ver the life-loving ape, Beanie will be remembered for his gentle nature and sweet disposition. We trust that Beanie is now swinging and singing in some lovely green forest out there - forever.

A thoughtful Beanie poses for photographer Michael Turco in 2002 A soothing tummy-rub by visitor Susan Parker is much appreciated by Beanie only a month before his passing "Beanie had a wonderful disposition, so trusting in familiar arms. You gave him a life filled with love and happiness. He had a good life in your care and I think he knew it. As a photographer I found irony in his beautiful sightless eyes which beamed so brightly on film. He will be remembered and is in our thoughts." Michael Turco "I will never forget the Saturday night Members’ Meeting dinner when it appeared that one of the Senior Lights was singing a little off key and we discovered that Beanie was enthusiastically singing the gospel songs out in his porch enclosure." Bonnie Brown

Long-time IPPL animal caregiver Donetta smiles down on a young Beanie in her lap Beanie welcomes a doggy-kiss from IPPL mascot Patou An adolescent Beanie rests in his sleeping crate

Beanie hangs out with a friend, IPPL animal care staff member Hardy, last summer "He was one of the most joyful individuals I have ever seen. It was almost impossible to tell he had physical limitations from his gentle and happy demeanor and his ceaseless antics. I still remember trying to get shots of him in the yard and he was so active we could hardly keep up with his jumping!" Deborah Rivel

Beanie enjoys a romp on IPPL’s lawn this past summer "Beanie may have been blind but he taught many how to see. Beanie showed many people that a blind gibbon ape with epilepsy could have an excellent quality of life, enjoying swinging in the enclosure designed for him and having the companionship of his nurturing caretakers." Linda Howard