A new era for apes in entertainment and advertising

All my life, since watching dad train the Detroit Zoo chimpanzees in the 1950s, I've known how delightful chimps can be in entertainment. All those decades, I was ignorant about what the chimps experienced. The horror of being taken, forever, from a loving mother. The fear instilled during the training process. The pain of chains, pulled teeth, and small cages that are often the facts of life behind the “entertainment” experience. The sadness of missing tickles and grooming from other chimpanzees. The screwed up culture of living by weird human obsessions, like dressing the chimps in costumes and putting them on pills.

Now, finally, there is an achievable alternative. It is a new era.

Ape ownership: it is the principle of the thing

One thing you can say for animal lovers: we sure are a principled bunch. Note how much of our treatment of great apes – and each other – is based on principle. After all, aren't we all taught to fight for our principles, especially in protecting "family"? And where does that leave us?

Mike Casey, the chimpanzee breeder who uses his trained chimps for parties and advertising, firmly believes it is his right to train, keep, beat, and use his animals as he sees fit, even if it means flouting community zoning regulations. “They are my family,” Casey said, when local officials in Las Vegas denied his permit to keep the chimps in a residential neighborhood. He subsequently moved them to Nye County, Nevada, where he also doesn’t have a permit to keep them.

On the other hand, PETA representatives – who are fighting for the principles they believe in – are urging the Nye county officials to put the interests of the chimps and the community above Casey’s desires.

The standoff continues in the Curtis Shepperson case, who is also keeping four chimpanzees illegally in a backyard “zoo,” without the required county permits. Hanover County, Virginia, officials told him he could face criminal charges if he doesn't get rid of the four chimps by June 23. (Shepperson has permits for two other chimps.) They are like family, Shepperson told reporters.

On the other hand, Save the Chimps, the sanctuary best situated to take in the Shepperson chimpanzees, is standing by its principles and won’t take them. “Mr. Shepperson has not so far agreed to send all six chimps to sanctuary,” Jen Feuerstein told me in February. “STC has a policy that individuals giving up custody of chimpanzees must not engage in further commercial/entertainment/research/pet activity with chimpanzees.” (Jen also notes that, in February, they did not have capacity to take in additional chimpanzees, “but hope to at some point this year.”)

Kanzi's gross obesity doesn't seem to bother
his "principled" owner.

Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary continues to struggle with its principled stand in maintaining Sue Savage-Rumbaugh’s control over several bonobos. Rumbaugh has assumed the role of mother for little bonobo Teco, asserting her right to raise a “bicultural” family. (As this picture shows, Rumbaugh’s principle for feeding grossly overweight Kanzi is “let them eat cake.”)

On the other hand, the animal welfare community isn’t playing along with Rumbaugh any longer. IPLS evidently raised less than $1,000 at a recent “VIP fundraising event,” and had to cancel another fundraiser, according to this article. (Still, if this article is correct, IPLS continues to sell “private sessions with bonobos including Kanzi,” despite being told by federal inspectors to stop close contact between the bonobos and the public.)

Penny Patterson, over at the Gorilla Foundation, continues her principled stand in fundraising, using a calendar to perpetuate the (false) “links” between Koko’s kitten and anti-poaching efforts in Africa. Penny has, of course, become Koko’s surrogate family, friend… and…? Is there more to the “show Koko your nipples,” story? Ah, principled ex-employees aren’t talking (publicly).

And then we have poor gorilla Ndume, still isolated at Gorilla Foundation. I’m not sure what principle Penny is basing her treatment of Ndume on. On the other hand, I understand that the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Gorilla Species Survival Plan’s most recent draft management plan is recommending that Cincinnati Zoo take Ndume back. (Ndume is owned by Cinci, on loan to Penny). I also heard that Cincinnati Zoo agrees they need to take Ndume back. Unfortunately for people who are anxious about improving Ndume’s life, the zoo folks have a principle that prohibits them from sharing animal management information with us… so we all just have to cross our fingers and hope.

Dwight Eisenhower said, “a people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” I think he’s on to something. I would argue that Casey, Shepperson, Rumbaugh, and Patterson are not differentiating between the “privileges” of private ownership and the principles of humane respect for the animals under their control. Laws, regulations, and community ethics towards animals – the principles of ape ownership – are changing. It’s time for ape owners to adapt to the new set of principles. Before everyone loses.

Detroit Zoo chimp show lessons won't be forgotten, thanks to International Zoo News

Dad training Detroit Zoo chimps for their show. 

The zoo community does not usually take criticism well, I’ve discovered, even when it is criticism about history. It was all the more surprising, then, when the International Zoo News accepted my article about the history of the Detroit Zoo chimp shows from 1932 to 1983. They published it in the IZN March/April edition that arrived in my mailbox today.

It appears that Richard Perron, the IZN editor, knew he might get complaints for publishing an article that some may view as hurtful to today’s zoo image. Part of his editorial addressed those concerns, pro-actively and accurately, I believe. Perron wrote:

“…There is no other industry where public opinion about it is so polarised as with zoos. By far the noisiest and most publicised utterances come from the detractors, either philosophically rejecting the keeping of animals or pouncing on some event or situation which they (often) misrepresent as animal cruelty, frequently I think only to justify their importance (and salary). In such a huge, diverse industry there will always be elements which are open to criticism and, like every other industry, there is continual change and improvement. Zoo supporters are usually not so strident in making their case, but might make more use of history to demonstrate how good the modern zoo is and counter some of the charges made by opponents. The article in this issue by Dawn Forsythe is an historical document and records a time when the treatment of animals in zoos and their presentation to the public was not humane and would not now be tolerated in any modern zoo. The article focuses on one specific institution during one period of its existence, the author being a keeper’s daughter, and the temptation to generalise the situation described to other zoos should be resisted and certainly not likened to current practices at that zoo. Some of the issues raised however are lessons which should be kept in mind when developing new visitor entertainments. 

“Zoos have come a long way in their history and discussing negative elements of the past can be no more damaging than reflecting on the misery of the Great Depression which prompted a new attitude to human welfare in the United States. 

“Unpleasant periods of history can be utilized to demonstrate ongoing improvement and to define the future path. Without a knowledge of history there can be no appreciation of the present nor any vision of the future…”

International Zoo News is available by subscription, and articles are not posted online until the year after publication. I have permission, however, to share my article, “Chimp Shows Amuse and Abuse,” with blog readers. 

I’d like to thank Mr. Perron for the opportunity to share the story of the Detroit Zoo chimp show era, and the chimpanzees whose lives were destroyed by it. Thank goodness that zoo era is behind us.

A crisis looms for critically endangered orangutans

I try to keep this blog focused on issues affecting captive great apes in the U.S., confident that many great organizations are tackling the huge primate issues around the world. Sometimes, though, a crisis is so immediate, and so potentially devastating, that I must add my voice to theirs. This is one of those times.

The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, led by conservation director Ian Singleton, is sounding the alarm about a plan in Indonesia that would be devastating for the critically endangered Sumatran orangutans. The Indonesian province of Aceh, on the island of Sumatra, is currently preparing to open over 1.2 million hectares of protected forest for the development of mines, plantations, roads, logging and palm oil expansion. This plan would reduce total forest cover of Aceh from 68% to 45% and will drive Sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers and rhinos to extinction. (For more, see Mining company working with Indonesian government to strip forest of protected status.)

Jiggs and Sadie were Detroit Zoo's first captive orangutans in 1955.
To capture them, trappers in Indonesia likely killed their mothers. 

I have never seen an orangutan in the wild. But I can imagine the horror they face when the humans move in with fire and chainsaws, killing the adult orangutans and selling the babies.

I didn't pay much attention to captive orangutans when I was a kid. Even though the Detroit Zoo had orangutans in the 1950s, my heart was with the young chimpanzees there. I didn’t get to know the “wizards of the rainforest” until I met Lucy, Bonnie, Iris, Kiko, Batang, and Kyle at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. If you’ve spent any time at all looking into the eyes of your local captive orangutans, you know what I felt. They are behind bars, but I was the one who was captivated.

Since then, I’ve joined the thousands who support the Center for Great Apes, the only U.S. sanctuary that cares for ex-pet, ex-entertainment, and – recently – a couple of the Great Ape Trust’s ex-research orangutans. (I have a lovely painting by my favorite CGA orangutan, Louie. You do know that your home isn’t complete until you’ve got some ape art for the walls, don’t you?)

In meeting U.S. captive orangutans, you and I know about the intelligence, the individual personalities, and the emotional depth of orangutans. That familiarity makes knowledge about the crisis facing the wild orangutans in Indonesia all the more horrifying.

Please act!

In honor of the captive orangutans I’ve known and loved here in the U.S., I am taking three steps to help prevent the looming disaster in Indonesia. I hope you will do the same.

First, sign the petition to save Sumatra’s rainforest. It urges the Indonesia government to reject the plan to clearcut the Sumatra rainforest in Aceh. They should replace the plan with a version that includes the best available science.

Second, donate to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, even if it is just a couple of dollars. They are urgently trying to raise $70,000 to stop this proposed plan and to save the forest from further destruction.

Third, honor orangutans everywhere by participating in MOM – Missing Orangutan Mothers – activities at a zoo near you this Mother’s Day. (See my 2011 blog post, Look into an orangutan’s eyes, to read about the devastating personal experience that motivated Holly Draluck to start the MOM campaign.)

Finally, help spread the word.

Thanks for all you do, for great apes in the U.S., and in their natural habitats.

Great Ape Trust looks for financial salvation at the federal teat

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse over at Great Ape Trust / Bonobo Hope / Iowa Primate (non)Learning (non)Sanctuary… IPLS has plans to ask the National Institutes of Health for 17 retired federal research chimps!

To secure a source of funding for
the Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary,
Sue Savage-Rumbaugh wants to be a federal contractor.

Iowa Primate posted a petition on change.org. It is directed at former benefactor Ted Townsend’s organization, asking for financial support. The petition includes this nugget:

“Please also support the efforts of IPLS to become a Federal Sanctuary for chimpanzees who have served as subjects in biomedical research. Our goal is to give them an environment that enables travel, communication and the expression of free-will through symbolic communication.”

Screwing up a couple of bonobos isn’t good enough for Sue Savage-Rumbaugh. Now she wants to bring in poor research chimpanzees – who will finally be given a chance to recover from their research-imposed trauma – and subject them to travel? What, for more of her roadshow activities at Buddhist relic tours? Enabling symbolic communication? As if the greatest thing these chimpanzees want in life is to converse with Savage-Rumbaugh and IPLS director Julie Gilmore…

This is evidently a last ditch attempt to find a purpose. Research? Been there, failed to do that. School for robotics? What a disaster. Art colony? Clearer heads refused to fund it. Roadside sideshow for folks who want to cuddle a baby bonobo? Thank goodness federal inspectors called a halt to that! So what is left?

Sucking on the government teat is nothing new.
This 1806 political cartoon represents the British economy being
sucked dry by the demands for the war against Napoleon.
"More PIGS than TEATS, or the new Litter of hungry Grunters
sucking John Bull's old Sow to death"
Source: Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection,
Yale University Library
 <http://digitalcollections.library.yale.edu/>

Ah, the federal teat! If you can’t find money any other way, become a federal government contractor. Under the IPLS way of thinking, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the experience, the knowledge, the staff, or the proper facilities… It doesn’t matter that the apes now under your care are fat, unhealthy, and would have great difficulties fitting into a normal captive ape society. It doesn’t matter that other organizations have offered to give the IPLS bonobos a good home, where they have a hope of rehabilitation. All that matters, evidently, is that IPLS is desperate for money, and the federal government has it.

And screw the chimps who have been screwed all their lives.

Actually, this scheme represents quite a turn-around for Savage-Rumbaugh. One ape expert tells me that she has referred to common chimpanzees as “trogs” – in disgust. Now the chimpanzees have a money stream attached to them, they must be pretty attractive. Bring in some retired "trogs," get a federal contract for their care, and use the money to keep Iowa Primates functioning. Sweet.

I heard last night that Savage-Rumbaugh wants to bring in 17 chimpanzees, so I asked some renowned ape experts for their opinions. For people who have been following the IPLS descent, the reactions won't be surprising.

Kathleen Conlee, vice president at the Humane Society of the United States, summarizes the opinions I've heard all day. "There have been continuing, serious concerns about the financial stability and level of animal care at the Iowa Primate Sanctuary," Conlee says, "and we would urge NIH not to retire government-owned chimpanzees to that facility, if there is such a consideration underway."

Other responses were more vivid…

“Oh, fuck!” wrote primatologist Andrew Halloran, author of The Song of the Ape.

“SHOOT ME NOW!!!” wrote a primate welfare expert.

"OMG, if it is true, it would be a catastrophe for those chimps,” one former IPLS associate wrote.

“I hope the NIH is set straight. This tells me they [IPLS] are truly desperate,” another ape expert told me.

Another expert was more positive. "I am SURE that NIH knows exactly what Sue's operation is all about..."

Sue Savage-Rumbaugh has stepped over an important line. It’s one thing to fight to keep control of bonobos who (you imagine) can talk, but it is another thing entirely to ask the federal government to subsidize fantasies and whims because all your other half-witted schemes have failed.

Besides, how would IPLS care for 17 more great apes? They are staffed almost entirely by volunteers; few (if any) with training or advanced knowledge of apes. The local grocery chain donates the food. It is a mystery how IPLS pays for their electricity, water, and heating, which is quite expensive. Additionally, they can’t build any new facilities on the campus until the Army Corps of Engineers clears it -- and that has been the case since the floods of 2008.

One ape welfare advocate has “no clue where IPLS would put 17 chimps. They don't have anywhere in the bonobo building for them, and the orangutan building, or at least the one I saw in [redacted], would not hold 17 chimps safely or effectively.”

Of course, the problem is bigger than even the lack of staff, inadequate facilities, and no clearance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (for pete’s sake!)… One note this morning stated it clearly:

"IPLS is not a sanctuary and it will not be as good as Center for Great Apes, or Save the Chimps, or Chimp Haven [the federal chimpanzee sanctuary] -- and don't chimps all deserve the same treatment and facilities and services?" asked Robert Ingersoll, a noted chimpanzee advocate who started his career working with language research chimp Nim and others. "I think they do."

"This is just selfish... the chimps are secondary in these decisions,” Robert said. “If the chimps’ needs were really primary, there would not even be a discussion."

"Once I get over being furious about this I will probably have more to say than ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR."

It isn’t clear whether IPLS wants some of the chimps who were recently retired from New Iberia Research Center, or if they are anticipating NIH’s plans for implementation of the recent recommendation to retire all but 50 of the federally-supported research chimps. If it’s the latter, then even the IPLS petition to Ted Townsend is purely speculative because NIH hasn't announced their new policy. Frankly, though, I think the distinction is lost on the IPLS folks. They want federal chimps… and access to the federal teat.

---
UPDATE 6:03 pm EDT, 4/17: NIH responded to questions I asked about IPLS possibly contracting for chimp care: "In response to the information you sent... as it currently stands, any new sanctuary addition to the Federal Sanctuary System would have to meet very high standards, be approved by the Chimp Haven Board, and would be funded through a subcontract from Chimp Haven (all of this is outlined in the CHIMP Act).  You should contact Chimp Haven if you have any questions about new sanctuary additions since they operate the Federal Sanctuary System."

The Gorilla Foundation misleads public on African venture

Go to The Gorilla Foundation website, and you will see lots of schemes designed to get people to donate money. Penny Patterson tries to convince people that Koko wants a baby – which will never happen. Penny likes to raise money for the Maui Preserve – which will never be built. They say they are partnering with the Biosynergy Institute in the Wildlife Protectors Fund – which evidently isn’t funding wildlife protectors at all. The Gorilla Foundation also touts its work in Africa, particularly for the Michael Gorilla Sanctuary – which doesn’t exist as a stand-alone facility.

WPF does not fund wildlife
protectors. It may not even exist.

The Gorilla Foundation website gives potential donors the distinct impression that TGF is intimately involved with the gorillas in Africa’s Mefou Primate Park, but they can’t even get the most basic facts right. Their website says that the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund manages Mefou Primate Park, but CWAF changed its name to Ape Action Africa four years ago. Ape Action Africa is responsible for all the resident animals (now over 330 primates) and for all the costs of managing the park.

The Gorilla Foundation touts its establishment of “Michael Gorilla Sanctuary.” What a laugh. The park has several fenced forest enclosures for housing gorillas, chimpanzees, and several species of monkeys. As I understand it, The Gorilla Foundation helped with the costs of building a gorilla enclosure – 13 years ago, in 2000. They asked that it be dedicated to the memory of gorilla Michael, Koko’s first non-companion, and Ape Action Africa continues to honor that request. Contrary to the impression given by The Gorilla Foundation, I heard from a good source that neither the Gorilla Foundation nor their inactive Wildlife Protectors Fund have contributed to the costs of caring for the seven gorillas who live in that enclosure, since it was built 13 years ago. (Why do I say WPF is inactive? Although The Gorilla Foundation continues to promote the Wildlife Protectors Fund, in order to attract donations, I was unable to find any such charitable organization listed with the Internal Revenue Service.)

Speaking of the Internal Revenue Service... I tried to wade through The Gorilla Foundation's IRS Forms 990, to see what I could find about their bally-hooed support for Michael Gorilla Sanctuary. While the forms are confusing, one thing is clear: The Gorilla Foundation does not support the gorillas who live in the enclosure, and they haven't helped with the support for years.

In their IRS Form 990 for 2007, The Gorilla Foundation claims to have made two donations ($10,000 each, for total contribution of $20,000) to the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund. But those IRS claims may be troublesome. At least one person remembers that the money was for another enclosure, which The Gorilla Foundation promised to fund, but (surprise, surprise) TGF reportedly never came through with the entire $20,000. In any case, this potentially overstated support for another gorilla enclosure seems to be the last for gorillas at the park.

In 2008, they claim $228,251 in Africa "conservation" expenses. They reported no support for the care of the gorillas in the Michael Gorilla enclosure. In their 2009 IRS Form 990, TGF claims they had $159,088 in expenses for "humane education and promotion of gorilla conservation through outreach programs in Africa..." Again, nothing for the support of the gorillas in Michael's enclosure. In the 2010 IRS Form 990 (the last one they've made publicly available at Charity Navigator), TGF claims they had expenses of $38,998 for gorilla conservation, yet they fail to report any contributions or grants to any organization whatsoever -- which may not be surprising, given that they reported a $433,000 operating deficit for the fiscal year ending May 2011.

The Gorilla Foundation website tries to make donors believe it supports and works with an African gorilla sanctuary. It doesn't.

The questions about The Gorilla Foundation's involvement in Mefou Primate Park go beyond the troubling lack of monetary resources for a sanctuary they claim to support. 

The Gorilla Foundation website states that the human caregivers and gorillas at Michael Gorilla Sanctuary “play together as a friendly family of great apes.” Bullshit. Years ago, when the gorillas were young, the caregivers went in with them, but times and policies have changed significantly. Ape Action Africa acts as a responsible sanctuary would; caregivers do not go in the enclosures, even with young apes. Their policy is to minimize human contact as much as possible, so the apes learn to be chimps and gorillas again.

The Gorilla Foundation website also says, “The caregivers and gorillas will begin interspecies communication research programs, to examine their natural communication systems.” It says that developing vocabularies “enables the best sanctuary conditions for apes.” Double bullshit. First, no interspecies communication programs have happened. None are ongoing, and none are planned. Second, Ape Action Africa’s Volunteer Handbook clearly explains that their goal is to give their animals “a safe forest sanctuary home where they can live with their own kind.” They recognize, as The Gorilla Foundation’s Penny Patterson does not, that minimizing human contact and giving rescued apes as natural an environment as possible are the best conditions for them.

Ape Action Africa rescues gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys who have been orphaned as a result of the illegal bushmeat trade and the pet trade. Many of the primates have been badly treated. The last thing rescued primates need is human exploitation in the field of interspecies communication, as practiced by Penny Patterson. 

Apes need people who will listen to their language, to understand what they need. They need peace, and respect for who they are – which is, by all reports, what Ape Action Africa tries to provide. And what The Gorilla Foundation does not.

U.S. government tells Iowa Primate to stop public contact with bonobos

Well, at least the humans have to stop kissing the bonobos.

Iowa Primate posted this picture showing paying visitors
cuddling with the bonobos. The practice has to stop.

Readers will recall that the Great Ape Trust / Bonobo Hope / Iowa Primate [non]Learning [non]Sanctuary opened its doors to the public in February, allowing members of the public and a reporter to cuddle and kiss baby bonobo Teco. Iowa Primate, which is being managed by a licensed small animal veterinarian, evidently "forgot" about the dangers of disease transmission between great apes and humans. In fact, they were so proud of their practice of allowing close contact between humans and bonobos, they posted pictures to their Facebook page (but soon took them down.)

Primatologists and ape lovers everywhere were outraged. Barbara King, an anthropologist and a blogger on NPR (see her Thoughts on Three Famous Language Apes) filed a complaint with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (the regulatory agency), who followed up with Iowa Primate.  The report indicates that "[t]hese interactions pose a significant disease and injury hazard both to the public and the animal." APHIS told Iowa Primate that the close contact is "[t]o be corrected from this day forward." I've posted the APHIS inspection report here.

Since Sue Savage-Rumbaugh was present at the events and encouraged the practice, one wonders about other lapses in her "professional" knowledge and judgment. Just sayin'.

Goodall and de Waal books are surprisingly (dare I say it?) bad

You probably haven’t noticed that Jane Goodall is being accused of plagiarism, sloppy writing, and anti-science in her latest book, Seeds of Hope. You won’t read about it on Huffington Post, I’ll bet, or see it in your favorite sanctuary's Facebook newsfeed, because too many people seem willing to give her a pass... because she's a chimp advocate, or she's old, or her early work was so important that rules don’t apply to current work, or whatever. I won’t repeat all the allegations here, but I seriously recommend that you read them for yourself in the Daily Beast article Jane Goodall’s Troubling, Error-Filled New Book.

Goodall promotes herself as a scientist, and plagiarism is a serious problem if we are to take a scientist’s work seriously. Lifting paragraphs from new age websites undermines her scientific case. Even worse, as Daily Beast reporter Michael Moynihan points out, Goodall undermines her arguments against genetically modified food by misrepresenting the research. (Like Jane, I have serious concerns about GMOs, but I believe we need to balance decisions by using science and consumer preferences. Misrepresentation never ever ever has a legitimate role in food policy.)

Seeds of Hope is a nasty stain on Goodall’s long-earned and well-deserved reputation. And yet, even though she is listed as author and the book is written in the first person, as if Jane is speaking, Goodall supporters seem to blame her co-author, Gail Hudson. Goodall herself passively tried to step around the issue. According to a Washington Post article, Jane Goodall’s book, Seeds of Hope, contains passages without attribution, Goodall says she was “distressed to discover that some of the excellent and valuable sources were not properly cited,” as if she had no responsibility. No, Jane, the correct way to phrase that would have been “I did not properly cite…” She said she would correct future editions. (Of course, by that time, thousands of people would have read the plagiarized work.) Fortunately, her publisher had a different idea. Even though Goodall has an extensive book tour planned, the publisher decided to delay publication. (See Goodall book postponed because of lifted passages.) 

Jane's book tour for her pulled book is listed on the JGI website.

Unfortunately, Frans de Waal doesn’t have a chance at a re-write for his new book, Bonobos and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates. I love bonobos and I’m an atheist, so I expected to submerge myself into a great read, but I’m struggling with this one. Reading his book is uncomfortable. I feel like I’ve walked into a private argument between people who evidently have spent years sniping at each other from afar -- but now de Waal has decided to take it to his opponents, personally.

I wanted de Waal’s insights to help explain why people think they need religion to be moral, but I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about. He’ll write a bit about apes, and then take off into an argument with “theoreticians” or (gasp!) “scientists” who evidently have tried to make points with which he disagrees. Who are these people he is criticizing? And what did they say that has pissed him off so much?

I get it that he doesn’t agree with the strident “new” atheists. I understand that a segment of the atheist community finds Richards Dawkins a bit, well… a bit too much. And Christopher Hitchens is an acquired taste, especially when he’s at his angry best. (Disclosure: I enjoy reading Hitchens, and I value the time I saw him speak – a couple of days before he was told he had stage four cancer.) Are you with me, reader? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, de Waal’s book will make absolutely no sense to you. Even though I know some of the arguments of the popularized atheists Frans opposes, I still got lost when he started into people I don’t know.

De Waal has so much insight to add to the discussion of evolution, science, morals, and religion. It’s too bad he had to waste his book (and his readers’ time) engaging in personal attacks against fellow atheists.

Goodall and de Waal used their books to indulge their personal arguments, and it seems like they did it without paying due respect to their readers. If they fully respected their readers, they would have demanded the honest services of some good editors. At least, a good editor might have detected Goodall’s plagiarism and errors. A second set of eyes might have warned de Waal that he was taking too much liberty in indulging in esoteric arguments without preparing the reader.

I write this with a heavy heart, because Jane and Frans’ work with apes was groundbreaking, and we owe them tons of respect and appreciation. But I’m going to have to move on, to writers who demonstrate a bit more respect for average, every day readers.

Today Amazon delivered my copy of Monte Reel’s Between Man and Beast, a book about the first confrontations between Victorian adventurers and gorillas. It’s getting great reviews. Delivery came just in time… I need a good book.

Meet Ndume: The feces-flinging gorilla with a heart

The plight of Ndume, “talking” gorilla Koko’s rejected paramour, becomes more pressing when you learn a little about him and the challenges he has faced during his 31 years. You don’t have to delve very deep to discover why this particular gorilla was chosen to be part of the infamous Koko publicity machine. I started learning more about this terrific silverback after writing about the concerns that several former caregivers had for his health and welfare.

Ndume was selected for deportation to the Gorilla Foundation, it appears, because he wasn’t playing by the rules at the two zoos that tried to put him on exhibit. In fact, he mightily offended zoo patrons and officials at both Cincinnati Zoo and Brookfield Zoo. The zoos wanted to get rid of Ndume because he threw feces and regurgitated food, say several ape experts and former caregivers.

Ndume in 1989

As I explained in the blog post CincinnatiZoo abandons old gorilla, Ndume was born at Cincinnati Zoo in 1981. He was raised by humans and, after a 3-year unsuccessful stint at Brookfield Zoo from 1988 to August 1991, Ndume was finally transferred to The Gorilla Foundation on December 10, 1991.

“It was an unfortunate set up from the beginning and, of course, Ndume is the one to have suffered all these years,” one expert (alias: Jones) tells me. Ndume was so disliked by the zoo keepers, Jones says, that instead of calling him by his real name, pronounced en-doo-may, “his keepers at both zoos called him ‘En-Dummy’ and other insulting names.”

I can understand why there was some antagonism.

“One time a group of zoo docents-in-training [at Brookfield Zoo] came to see the shit-throwing En-Dummy… Their loud and disrespectful behavior got Ndume pissed and he started throwing vomit and shit, with remarkable accuracy,” Jones recalls. He flung the feces until the docents were out of range.

His defiance remained intact when he moved to California. One correspondent tells me of the time when someone at the Gorilla Foundation yelled at Ndume to bring in his chair from his outside enclosure. He was treating Ndume “like he was a small kid to be ordered about, instead of a magnificent silverback. Ndume ignore him, and the guy yelled about how obnoxious and stupid Ndume was, furious he wasn't obeying him. At this point, Ndume went back and picked up the chair, looked at the guy, and then threw the chair directly in his direction. He never brought the chair back in, bless his heart!”

Despite his intransigence, or maybe because of it, many of his keepers clearly love this gorilla for his intelligence and refusal to be broken. “Thank you for keeping Ndume's plight in the forefront,” one correspondent wrote. “That boy deserved better. Of all the gorillas I know, Ndume is among the most special / intelligent / gentle / wonderful.”

Penny Patterson has some strange rules at the Gorilla Foundation

At one point, Gorilla Foundation founder Penny Patterson only permitted one caregiver at a time to be with Ndume. (With only two caregivers there now, this isn’t a big deal, but the former caregivers were bothered by the policies when there were more employees.) Because they were only allowed to be with Ndume one caregiver at a time -- no researchers allowed, by the way – the keepers all had very different relationships with him.

One former caregiver (alias: Young) told me about Ndume’s current life. It appears the gorilla is either mellowing in his old age, or has pretty much decided to accept the weird and lonely life he’s been given.

“Throwing regurge or feces has greatly reduced over the years, but still happens occasionally if he gets stressed or nervous,” Young says.

Another former caregiver (aka Jackson) recalls that Ndume "maybe only threw feces at me once (I think it was due to some game playing, to get a rise out of me) and he threw regurge at me once because I closed him out of his sleeping area to clean up more regurge."

Yet another former caregiver (let’s call this one Smith) points out that, while Ndume doesn’t fling his feces frequently, “he continues to throw poop and vomit with incredible accuracy. In my experience with him, he only did this from inside his trailer when he was frustrated at being closed in.”

In his trailer? Evidently Ndume lives in a trailer that is approximately 12’ x 20’. Since Ndume and Koko are never allowed in the same enclosure together (and they’re going to make a baby how?), he is closed inside for meals while Koko is given access to the outdoor enclosure. (See Ndume's 31st birthday on Youtube.) “He doesn't like this,” Smith tells me, explaining that it “makes for stressful times while he's SUPPOSED to be eating his meals. Food is used as a tool to motivate him to come in. If he doesn't come in, he is punished and doesn't get to eat.”

Smith goes on: “Also, Penny will not give him access to the outdoors if the temperature is below 55 degrees or raining. [FYI, National Zoo temperature limit for gorilla outdoor access is 42 degrees.] During the winter months, he'll go days without being given access to the outdoors. He gets frustrated and bored. His only outlet is to throw poop and vomit as a way to get even with staff. Then, of course, he is punished for this too -- but like a kid, even negative attention is better than no attention at all.”

Ndume loved to do training, Jackson says. "I was training him so we could do an echocardiogram on him without putting him under, but Penny put a stop to that. She said he does not like the color black (and my mock ultrasound unit was black)."

I asked if Ndume is on any kind of medications. “Penny has him on about 18 to 20 supplements a day,” Smith says. “Nothing like Koko, though, who is forced to take between 70 and 100 pills a day, as recommended by their telephone-psychic-homeopath.”

According to Jackson, “Ndume was given a men's multivitamin, an herbal supplement for eyes, cod liver oil, Bach Rescue Remedy (which we sadly used a lot of, to keep him calm, when all it took was patience and understanding -- not drugs) and liquid serotonin which I refused to give to him. There was also another supplement called 5HTTP, which was supposed to alter the chemicals of the brain (which I refused to give to him as well). All of these were prescribed by [self-described naturopath and intuitive] Gabie Reiter."

Young points out that Ndume also gets additional supplements “if the psychic feels something is wrong.”

How did Ndume get to be such an avid feces flinger?

“Little gorillas raised in a fish bowl tend to grow up without the proper social skills, [not knowing] the gorilla culture, etc.,” Anonymous commented on my last blog post. “Throwing feces is very common, regurgitating food is also very common. Throwing it at the visitors is a classic byproduct of an ape having been reared in a nursery setting behind glass with antiquated hand rearing techniques… Cinci has produced many of these males and all are farmed out to other institutions. Out of sight, out of mind.”

“I recall Ndume being hand reared in the fish bowl nursery at Cincinnati Zoo,” another expert (alias: Hall) wrote. “One of the stereotypical behaviors, after a few years of being stared at, is to either thump the glass, throw shit at the glass, puke at the glass, etc. Often times this is done at a frothy frenzy state of anxiety. The animal is so high he can't be reached mentally by gorillas or humans.”

According to Hall, “socially he is ruined for life, much like Kanzi.” Hall tells me that, in all likelihood, “the pathology is deep and Ndume would need lots of anti-anxiety medication to help him. He would need behavioral therapy and it's possible he will never fit in anywhere,” if he was transferred back into a zoo population. (However, Halls emphasizes, "he can't continue to sit in a trailer.") “These males seem to have a tremendous amount of anxiety from poor coping skills, poor foundations, poor everything. It manifests itself in outbursts.”

“When apes are poorly nursery reared, they have been known to be terrified of other apes and have zero social skills and lack basic gorilla culture,” Hall explained. They are poorly stimulated, happy to be alone, and do not recognize social cues for love and affection. They are, Hall says, “much like Romanian orphans who lack the early neurological stimulation needed at exact times in the brain development.”

“The damage is huge, beyond repair, and these children/apes suffer all their lives from a million issues. Failure to thrive, language processing disorders, you name it. Those first 18 months make or break you,” Hall explains.

On the other hand, former caregiver Jackson believes Ndume "just needs a little more TLC than maybe your average gorilla, but I think it would be possible for him to re-enter a troop and maybe even be on display... He has been ‘babied’ for the past 20 years at the Gorilla Foundation with everyone tiptoeing around him and Penny only giving him attention by giving him unhealthy treats.”

I'm not an ape expert, but it seems to me that some gorilla experts need to check in on Ndume. Can you imagine how anxious he must be if he can't mentally process life, can't understand the social cues, can't cope, is prescribed mind-altering drugs by a psychic, and is stuck in a trailer? I'd throw my shit too, or barf with anxiety. 

What do zoos usually do when they have this kind of problem with one of their apes? 

Keepers tell me they use a variety of behavioral curbing tactics when they are faced with these problems. They don’t put the troubled ape on exhibit when big crowds are expected, or they give him a short time on exhibit with access to his “bedroom” at all times. They try to give the ape other things to focus on, such as enrichment toys or feeder devices. They may use drug therapy (Xanax), as prescribed by a veterinarian for anxious behavior. (There are many effective drugs and Xanax is one example of a short acting anti-anxiety medication that can help an ape in a stress-inducing situation, Hall says.) In extreme cases, they may use hotwires to keep him from pounding the glass. While hotwire itself is also a stress inducer, it can be a very useful tool when the gorilla could potentially hurt himself with the body slamming on a window.

There is no cure, of course, just management.

Most importantly, Hall believes Ndume will need a dedicated keeper staff to support him psychologically for the rest of his life.

“These anxious males are fragile in many ways and some show physical problems like diarrhea and stomach issues. Behavioral training, using positive reinforcement along with years of careful drug therapy, may solve some of his issues,” according to Hall.

Of course, if a zoo owns a problem ape and doesn't want to commit to his well-being, the other option is to dump him. A zoo can frame this as a “loan” or a “donation.”

Once these experts knew they could talk to me confidentially, they went to town with their anger. One expert alleges, “Cincinnati abandoned Ndume and would have euthanized him if they thought they'd get away with it.” Another says, “I suspect that Cincinnati had no use for a puker, shitter, or frantic male gorilla. Off he goes to Brookfield who did not get what they bargained for. Then he goes back - not sure why - my guess is he was tossing shit and barf to the public nonstop. Then he goes to Penny's place to hang with Koko. Whew… got rid of him!”

The experts explain that some of the nursery-raising techniques for apes may be predictive of problems. Intentionally nursery rearing for the sake of public viewing is just a crime, these experts say. “Doing it when a mother is dead, a baby has pneumonia, etc., is a medical necessity. Even then, though, you have to get that baby in with a nurturing and accepting adult male or female as soon as possible.”

It is important to recognize that the experts who talked to me did not condemn all zoos that raise apes in a nursery.

“If you want top-notch nursery rearing protocols, ask Columbus Zoo for a copy of their policy. It is stellar and works,” Hall says.

“Gladys [Cincinnati’s latest human-raised orphan] should have gone to Columbus, where they have a long-established and successful surrogacy program,” Smith suggests. “But Cincinnati wants babies to bring in gate revenues, so at least they went through the time and expense of setting up a program like Columbus'. Gladys will be okay, hopefully.”

“There are some great people in the zoo world," Smith points out, "but they're up against a ‘culture of an organization’ with a bunker mentality (you're either for us or agin' us).”

I’m holding out hope that some of those great zoo people will step in to ensure that Ndume is getting proper care and attention. As a friend pointed out to me yesterday, “if the AZA Gorilla Species Survival Plan can’t do anything about a travesty like this, what are they here for?”

Cincinnati Zoo abandons old gorilla while it promotes new baby gorilla?

There’s nothing cuter than a baby great ape. They aren’t bad for a zoo’s gate receipts, either. Granted, they don’t attract the kiddie mobs like baby pandas do, but the TV cameras show up quick enough, don’t they? Now that Cincinnati Zoo has accepted darling baby gorilla Gladys to be raised by human surrogates, those TV news reports, like this one from ABC, can be counted on to spur zoo visits by paying customers.

Cincinnati zoo keepers are acting as surrogates for gorilla baby Gladys

While the Cincinnati primate team is acting like gorilla moms, Ndume is living by himself at the Gorilla Foundation, without TV news crews, visitors, gorilla companionship or, it appears, any attention by his owner. The Cincinnati Zoo. Ndume, stud #0776, was born at Cincinnati Zoo on October 10, 1981. He was hand-reared and, after a 3-year unsuccessful stint at Brookfield Zoo from 1988 to August 1991, Ndume was finally transferred to The Gorilla Foundation on December 10, 1991. Over 20 years ago.

The Gorilla Foundation's entry in the gorilla studbook 

Former caregivers allege that Ndume is not receiving adequate dental or medical care by Penny Patterson, owner of Koko, the “talking” gorilla, but Cincinnati Zoo can’t be bothered by responding to requests for help.

Last week I got this note from a former Gorilla Foundation caregiver:

“I am hoping that [federal government inspectors] take a closer look at things since they were out to look at Ndume's teeth, but this is the same government agency that has done a poor job inspecting this facility in the past. It would be great if they actually took the time to do a thorough inspection… cleaning/disinfection protocol (or lack of protocol), pest prevention ( or lack of), expired medical goods, food prep area, including the hoarded and filthy house of Ron Cohn [on Gorilla Foundation premises]. If these items are found during an inspection, the board may be forced to act. It is so unfortunate that the USDA continues to let these items slip by... If these issues come up at the USDA inspection, I am confident that the current staff will not hide them.”

Why are hopes resting on USDA inspectors? (See earlier post, USDA finds Gorilla Foundation non-compliance on veterinary care of Ndume.) Why can’t we rely on Ndume's owners to guarantee adequate care?

A former caregiver had been secretly corresponding with Cincinnati Zoo. 

“They asked for any documentation,” the caregiver told me. “I said there isn't any except for the sign in sheet [that] the dog & cat vet signs when he comes into the office, without even seeing Ndume but [views him] from the driveway if Ndume happens to be outside. The zoo said they will investigate but nothing happened... Breaks my heart.”

Last summer, the caregiver sent a letter to Ron Evans, the zoo's primate team leader and one of Gladys' human surrogates.

Hi Ron,
I hope this note finds you in a good place.

Since I first reported to you, the caregiver staff has gone from 7 plus a manager to the current 3 (no manager). All of us resigned because of the unethical and immoral expectations and inadequate and inappropriate gorilla care directives and expectations.

Ndume is in grave danger as the Foundation further deteriorates. Ndume is used as a tool and continues to be neglected.

In this latest video Penny uses her smoke and mirror double talk trying to convince donors that a baby is still on the horizon for Koko. (http://www.koko.org/landing/video_blog/index1.poster.html) The truth is, Koko is signing she's hungry "loves" food (or a nut from Penny's vest pocket), Koko is too old for a baby, the facilities are completely ill-equipped for ANY arrival, and Koko and Ndume have not been together in the same living space since 2008.

Ndume has not yet received ANY medical or dental attention since his arrival at the Foundation more than 20 years ago.

This is wrong on so many levels.

 What, if anything are you planning as an investigation of the well being and safety of Ndume?

I look forward to your reply.

No reply.

I don’t know how Ndume is doing. I asked for help from folks with the American Zoological Association’s Gorilla Species Survival Plan. On Feb 22, I even sent a message to their Facebook account:

“I need some advice. I write a blog -- Chimp Trainer's Daughter -- and I keep getting awful reports about the condition of Ndume, at Gorilla Foundation. I've passed the reports to APHIS, but we know they don't necessarily go beyond the basics. I understand that Cincinnati Zoo owns Ndume, and I realize there's a real problem placing male gorillas in U.S. zoos, but isn't there anything that can be done? Can the SSP ask for an examination by an independent qualified vet and dentist? Or should I just tell Ndume's former keepers that nothing can be done? Advice, please! – Dawn”

Silence.

I will be so disappointed if Cincinnati Zoo or the AZA Gorilla SSP doesn’t act. The conditions described by yet another former caregiver sound a lot like the ongoing disaster at the Great Ape Trust / Bonobo Hope / Iowa Primate [Faux] Learning Sanctuary.

“We've never had a set number of caregivers at the foundation... We were well staffed at 15 for two gorillas and that number has now dwindled to four. No one is really a long time employee at the foundation. Most people leave after 1-2 years. As of recently though, most people left due to the way that the gorillas are cared for and feel powerless that they can't make a difference for the gorillas. They also leave because yes, they thought they would be contributing to science and realized that science is somewhat non-existent at the foundation. Two research associates left due to the lack of scientific information and restrictions on being able to write and publish what they would like. There has also been a board member who was on the scientific board for over 30 years who up and left as well. The rest of the employees who left were all caregivers fed up with the way Penny runs things.”

I have no words to describe my sadness that the Cincinnati Zoo lets this situation continue.

There are no words for Ndume. Just oohs and aaahs for cute little Gladys.

*** UPDATE: Minutes after I posted this article, I received a message from a someone in the North American zoo community: "You probably know more about the situation than I do, but I have heard from an in-the-know, reputable source that Cincinnati sent someone out to to GF in the past month to take a look at things. I don't know what that means exactly and of course I can't confirm that, but know that even if people aren't responding to you directly, they are hearing you and the rest of the whistle-blowers. Hopefully something will come of it." I echo that hope.

For more information, Meet Ndume.