The chimp birth has sparked a debate about animals in captivity
Keystone / Ennio Leanza
A Swiss zoo has defended itself against “sweeping statements” from an animal rights group following the birth of a chimpanzee in captivity.
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The German group Peta called on the Walter Zoo in eastern Switzerland to stop its breeding programme after the birth of the chimp. They argue that housing the chimpanzees is not species-appropriate and is like imprisoning the animals.
“We know that we are a scientifically managed institution, that our chimpanzee husbandry is very good,” Elia Heule, head of zoology and species conservation at Walter Zoo, told Swiss public broadcaster SRF.
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“Such statements generalize about zoos, from a few fenced-in goats to the largest zoo in the world. We are certain that we are doing the right thing. A general breeding ban would be short-sighted.”
West African chimpanzees are critically endangered, with an estimated 18,000 to 65,000 individuals in the wild.
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In the wild, they have territories of several square kilometers, said biologist Yvonne Würz from Peta Germany. “Even in supposedly large enclosures, great apes cannot lead a species-appropriate life. They suffer greatly under the conditions of captivity,” she told SRF.
Animal husbandry
“Instead of roaming through diverse forest areas, they often have to vegetate in barren cages and concrete bunkers. For these intelligent animals, these conditions are like a prison.”
Heule rejected “sweeping statements” about the situation. “Species-appropriate chimpanzee husbandry isn’t about space, but about enrichment. It’s about allowing a chimpanzee to express its natural behavior – in a social group, just like in the wild, for example, when foraging for food.”
The birth of the baby chimpanzee demonstrates the importance of zoos for the conservation of endangered species, she added.
PETA’s Würz rejects this argument. “Releasing monkeys born in captivity into the wild is practically impossible. The animals cannot learn important behaviors for survival in nature. Breeding programs serve to maintain the zoo population.”
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Animal rights activists criticise chimpanzee birth in Swiss zoo
Adapted from German by AI/mga
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