{"id":596358,"date":"2024-05-04T12:19:42","date_gmt":"2024-05-04T18:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/?p=596358"},"modified":"2026-02-25T20:03:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T02:03:33","slug":"travis-the-chimpanzee-who-attacked-charla-nash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/travis-the-chimpanzee-who-attacked-charla-nash\/","title":{"rendered":"Travis, the Chimpanzee Who Attacked Charla Nash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 1995, Charla Nash’s friend adopted and raised a chimpanzee named Travis<\/strong>. But 14 years later, with no prior history of violence, a horrific attack occurred out of nowhere, captured forever in a 911 call<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis the Chimpanzee’s Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Travis,
Travis, el chimpanc\u00e9.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Charla Nash tragedy<\/strong> happened in 2009 but still sends chills today. The woman was brutally attacked by a chimpanzee who mauled her violently. Consequences left her disabled for life, requiring a face transplant with endless complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This occurred in Connecticut, USA. The chimp, Travis<\/strong>, belonged to the victim’s friend Sandra Herold<\/strong>, who adopted him as a baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis was born October 21, 1995, at a Missouri chimp sanctuary. Sandra and husband Jerome adopted him at 3 days old. The family treated him less like a pet<\/a> and more like family. They took him shopping, walks; he could use keys, water plants, TV remote. He even turned on computers and drove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The animal was extremely intelligent<\/strong>. He brushed teeth, ate at the table. They’d given him wine. He starred in commercials and TV shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Travis,
Sandra treated Travis like a son.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Jerome died of cancer in 2004 and their son perished in a car crash, Travis became Sandra’s\u00a0child substitute<\/strong>. But the supposed pet remained a wild animal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2003, when a passerby threw an object hitting Travis’s car, he bolted many blocks. The person escaped, but Travis refused returning\u2014police intervened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prompted Connecticut law change: no exotic animals over 22 kg<\/strong>. Yet Travis, at 91 kg<\/strong> with imposing size, stayed with Herold\u2014he’d lived with her years, deemed no danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis’s Attack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Travis,
Charla Nash antes del ataque. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Travis’s Attack<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 16, 2009: 55-year-old Charla Nash<\/strong> visited friend\/coworker Sandra (70). Travis knew her but apparently disoriented by her new hairstyle. Grabbing his toy snapped him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis pounced on Nash<\/strong>, attacking mercilessly. During the assault, Sandra desperately called 911<\/strong>, saying a line sounding like sick joke:
“My chimpanzee is eating my friend.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 12-minute attack was pitiless. Sandra tried stopping him with shovel, knife\u2014failed. Finally, police shot Travis dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injuries horrific, per doctors. Nash endured 7+ hours face\/hand surgery by four teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attack Consequences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

Photo <\/a>of the attack’s aftermath.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Charla Nash<\/strong> lost hands, nose, lips, facial bone structure. Brain trauma, blindness. Family launched fundraiser for massive hospital bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis’s autopsy: no rabies, but Xanax<\/a>\u2014tranquilizer Sandra gave him. Effects included disorientation, rarely hallucinations, rage, aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herold died a year later; Nash won $4M suing her estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent interviews, Nash described specialized center life:
“Lost much independence. Could change truck tire, now can’t eat alone. Very hard living\u2014not living, half-living. Sometimes want to cry, go out, visit your home. Don’t know my future\u2014that scares me.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charla Nash today<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016: emergency hospitalization for transplant rejection\u2014survived. 2022: advocates banning primates as pets. Sandra’s chilling 911 call below (warning: deeply distressing):<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call 911.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 1995, Charla Nash’s friend adopted and raised a chimpanzee named Travis. But 14 years later, with no prior history of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2284,"featured_media":560249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"two_page_speed":[],"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[117807,111144,109800],"tags":[107088,117775,109304,117778],"class_list":["post-596358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-curiosidades-en","category-noticias-internacional-en","category-news-en","tag-curiosities","tag-internacional-en","tag-mascota-en","tag-noticias-en"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdR79Q-2v8G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":560238,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/travis-chimpance-arranco-cara-charla-nash\/","url_meta":{"origin":596358,"position":0},"title":"Travis, el chimpanc\u00e9 que atac\u00f3 a Charla Nash","author":"Erick Sumoza","date":"May 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"En 1995, una amiga de Charla Nash adopt\u00f3 y crio como un chimpanc\u00e9 al que llam\u00f3 Travis. 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