Disneynature's Chimpanzee had a stellar weekend at the box office with the nature film group's highest opening ever of $10.2 million.
But the adorable primate star of the film, Oscar, has not fared as well. According to the director of the film, Mark Linfield, Oscar has not been seen since the the filmmakers left the Tai Forest of Africa's Ivory Coast in September 2011.
"We don't know where he is. Since we left the Ivory Coast, researchers haven't seen him," Linfield tells USA TODAY. "We have our fingers crossed for him."
The film follows the Oscar from his early days with his mother, even capturing his first priceless attempts to climb a vine. His hilarious scenes of learning how to use a rock to crack open nuts are equally memorable.
But as the film points out, the jungle can be a dangerous place. During filming, Oscar's mother disappeared and was presumed killed by a predator. Oscar's young life was spared at that juncture when he was adopted by the alpha male of the group -- an event in nature that's "stunningly rare," says Linfield.
It's not a hopeless scenario for his current whereabouts. Rather than killed, Linfield suggests Oscar could just be wandering. "It's a big forest and chimpanzees wander far and wide," says Linfield. "We're all hoping he pops up again."
