General Information:
Birth date: ~1975
Birth place: Tama, Japan
Sex: Male

At time of the Dublonis Incident:
Age: ~17
Location: Tsukuba Space Center (Tsukuba Science City, Japan)

Current information: Deceased

Symptoms: shortening of the forward limbs
Classification: Animal



Tsukuba Space Center

Born in the Tama Zoological Park in 1975 Kimo was quickly found to be extremely intelligent, even for a chimp. After many near escapes Kimo finally managed to make it outside the park. He found his way backstage on a television news program. When the program went on the air Kimo wandered out and made a fool of the news anchors. Dr. Kosaka of the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), now Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), happened to be watching the show and became interested in Kimo. Dr. Kosaka had been doing research on the feasibility of sending a chimp to Mars. The next day he visited the zoo and met with Kimo's keepers and Kimo. He found Kimo to be in perfect health, extremely dexterous, and highly intelligent. Dr. Kosaka recruited Kimo on the spot. Over the next nine years the two worked together and were nearing the final stage of the project when the Dublon Incident happened. Since Kimo's death Dr. Kosaka's whereabouts have been unknown, but his friends and family continue to watch for him each year during the Kimo pilgrimage.

Kimo has been buried at the Black Hills National Cemetery. Embittered by the loss of his ESRs to "a plane full of peanut eaters" Kimo requested that he be buried in the Black Hills. He claimed that the Black Hills are "...like Mars for tourists." Upon his request he was given a list of cemeteries in the United States from which he carefully chose the Black Hills National Cemetery, and threw the list back through his cage bars. On his death NASDA tried to have him buried in an honorable cemetery spot reserved for members of the space program, but Dr. Kosaka refused to let this happen. Kimo's burial was quickly granted permission by the cemetery, even though "he was an ape, not an american, and not a veteran, the United States honor those who have fallen while working for a worthy cause", as Ted Branson (cemetery curator) put it. Once again Kimo provided much international tabloid fodder as many veterans protested his burial. However, in the end the publicity died out and Kimo got his wish. Click here to learn more about the yearly pilgrimage to visit Kimo.