Imagine receiving a baby Barbary macaque for your birthday. Unfortunately, this was the sad fate of Chitto. He was given as a birthday present by a family in Germany. The gift included a pack of nappies, a harness and a cage.
Restless pet
Chitto was only a few months old when he was taken away from his mother. As a pet, he quickly became attached to his owner. As soon as she was gone, Chitto made a lot of noise. He was afraid of other people. It didn’t take long before things got out of control and the owners wanted to get rid of the illegally obtained Barbary macaque. Fortunately, AAP was able to take Chitto in.
Video: Chitto’s story
Mental problems
In our quarantine department, Chitto was examined by our animal carers and vets. Fortunately, he appears to have no physical problems, but his behaviour shows that he is in poor mental health. Chitto is hyperactive and hardly ever sits still. When an animal carer walks past, he eagerly stretches out his thin arms. It is clear that he needs a mother figure. A fellow primate.'"The social isolation of a Barbary macaque from its own kind has a serious negative impact on its well-being. It clearly causes suffering, which we know from research and our own experience has lifelong behavioural consequences. It is very likely that when the animal reaches the age of 3 to 5 years, it will start to exhibit self-harming behaviour and have difficulty socialising with other conspecifics. That is why it is vital to allow Chitto to live with conspecifics as soon as possible."
Foster mother
That is why we will soon introduce Chitto to a fellow primate: the friendly older Barbary macaque Beatrix. We are hopeful that Beatrix will be a good foster mother for Chitto. From her, he can finally learn to just be a Barbary macaque.
EU Positive List needed
Chitto is another sad example of what happens when wild animals are kept in a domestic setting, while they are unsuitable as pets. AAP supports an EU-wide Positive List to make sure it will no longer be possible to give away a baby Barbary macaque as a birthday present in the future.
