There’s only so much monkeying around the Antwerp Zoo will tolerate. Belgian woman Adie Timmermans learned this recently, having developed what she called a special “relationship” with Chita, a 38-year-old chimpanzee whom she visited almost every day for four years. Zoo authorities now think the bond might have grown too strong and decided to ban Timmermans from visiting her monkey friend.
Whenever Timmermans came to the zoo, Chita would walk over to the glass enclosure, blowing kisses and scratching his head. So why separate the interspecies pals? Sarah Lafaut, the zoo’s mammal curator, tells Belgian news channel ATV that Chita ended up paying too much attention to Timmermans and was at risk of being excluded from his primate peers.
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Adie Timmermans and Chita kissing through the Antwerp Zoo glass enclosure — Source: De Telegraaf screenshot
The Belgian woman received a letter from the zoo, saying that she could still visit, but was only allowed to take a quick look at the chimpanzee habitat. As curator Lafaut explains to ATV, “Of course, we are happy when our visitors connect with the animals, but animal welfare comes first here.”
Chita’s interest in humans likely comes from her growing up as a household pet until the age of 8, when he was given to the zoo because of behavioral issues. While he eventually learned to live among other chimpanzees, his attachment to people remained.
As for Timmermans, she believes she is being unfairly singled out, as she tells Flemish newspaper the Nieuwsblad: “That animal really loves me and I love him. Why would you take that away?”
