News and blog Blog International Primate Day 2024 Today is International Primate Day. At Freedom for Animals we believe it is more than just a day to celebrate our closest animal relatives; it's a call to action for their protection, and ultimately their freedom. The devastating truth is that the reality faced by many primates across the world is one of sadness and turmoil; as thousands of individuals are being held captive in zoos, laboratories, or in private homes or businesses as exotic pets. On this International Primate Day, we want to shine a light on these individuals and share their story...to highlight their intelligence, social complexity, and intrinsic right to a life free from suffering. Apes Apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, gibbons and orangutans, are our closest animal relatives, sharing up to 98% of our DNA. Despite their remarkable intelligence, emotional depth, and social complexity, many apes are forced to endure a life of deprivation and captivity in zoos, laboratories, and entertainment venues across the world. In the case of zoos, it is common to see apes confined to environments that cannot meet their natural needs. Many apes suffer severe physical and psychological trauma in captivity, and it is common to see animals displaying abnormal behaviours and signs of depression. Mujur, is a 19 year old orangutan held captive at Dublin Zoo. She has given birth to three children, and every time tragedy has occurred. After her most recent birth in August, zoo management made the decision to take her baby away, to ship him off to another zoo. Dublin Zoo claims Mujur doesn’t have the maternal instinct to safely nurture the baby, as her previous infants died. Her first infant died from being unable to feed from Mujur correctly, and the second was tragically beaten to death by Mujur, most likely from sheer desperation. Mujur has had no role models in her lifetime to show her the ropes of motherhood. She has been held captive in an environment in which she does not feel safe, placed with a male she did not know, and forced to breed for the “vital DNA required by the breeding programme”. Her life is owned by the zoo. She has been used as a baby machine, and left traumatised. The utter despair she must have felt after the death of her second child even led to her killing a gibbon baby housed in the same enclosure. The sheer desperation of Mujur's existence is obvious, and no-one knows that better than Mujur. Her story is one of heartbreak, loss and injustice. But sadly, she is not alone. In zoos, it is commonplace to see abnormal behaviours in apes, such as pacing, rocking, self-mutilation and coprophagy (eating their own faeces). This is due to the desperation these complex animals feel in an environment with limited space, lacking mental stimulation, and forced separation of family members. In the case of gorillas, they have incredibly strong family bonds that are very often ripped apart by zoos, who orchestrate the sending of animals all over the world as part of their breeding programmes. This act of separation is shocking in many circumstances, but with animals such as apes, the trauma is unthinkable. The reality of what they suffer can be read in our “Insight from an ex-zookeeper” blog HERE. Lemurs Lemurs are another primate very commonly seen within zoos. The main species of lemur in captivity are the ring-tailed, red-ruffed, black and white ruffed, and black lemurs, as well as aye-ayes (a nocturnal species). All lemurs originate from the lush tropical island of Madagascar, a region known for its stunning biodiversity and natural wonder. Lemurs play a vital role in this ecosystem in everything that they do. Their foraging behaviour when looking for food increases the pollination of the earth, and supports many other species. Their diet includes a diverse variety of fruits, leaves, flowers, bark, and insects, and the way in which they must find food is essential for their physical health but also their mental stimulation. In zoos, they are often fed inappropriate fruit and vegetables (many of which are not native to their wild territories, making them unnatural for them to consume), which are simply thrown on the floor. This is completely inadequate in terms of diet, and also enrichment. Lemurs are highly social animals that live in groups, known as troops or bands, high within the treetops. These groups are often matriarchal, meaning they are led by a dominant female. Living in these social structures allows lemurs to form complex relationships and establish social hierarchies. But in zoos there are often problems with this, as over-breeding and lack of space can lead to social aggression, injuries, and even the abandonment of their young. This can be seen in the case study of Cumbria Safari Zoo (formerly known as South Lakes Zoo), which holds a large number of lemurs captive in poor conditions. In our investigations into the zoo, we documented a litany of issues with the lemurs held captive there. The large number of breeding lemurs in an enclosed space has led to over-breeding and many injuries occur during those breeding patterns. Investigators noted broken tails, fingers, and gashes to their bodies, as well as babies being dropped by their parents and dying on a cold concrete floor. You can read more about the investigation HERE. In the wild, lemurs follow natural breeding seasons and raise their young in family groups. This allows offspring to learn vital survival skills through observation and interaction with older group members, ensuring the continuation of natural behaviours and cultural knowledge. But in captivity, these delicate conditions and social structures are pressurised, and as a result tragedy and zoochosis becomes the norm. Monkeys Monkeys are found across every zoo in the UK due to their popularity with the public, leading to higher profits from ticket sales. The main species commonly seen in captivity are: Baboons Capuchin monkeys Spider monkeys Howler monkeys Tamarins (such as Emperor tamarins and Cotton-top tamarins) Marmosets (such as Common marmosets and Pygmy marmosets) Mandrills Colobus monkeys Squirrel monkeys Macaques (including Barbary macaques and Rhesus macaques) Drills Langurs (such as François' langur) These species are found in various zoos across the UK, where they are kept in enclosures that consistently fall short of meeting their complex needs, due to a lack of space, enrichment and ultimately - freedom. This often leads to issues such as stress, boredom, and behavioural abnormalities. In the wild these highly complex, social individuals thrive by engaging in a wide range of natural behaviours such as foraging, climbing, and interacting with large social groups. Yet in zoos, this natural instinct is stifled, and monkeys are often held in poorly heated, cold, unnatural environments, completely unsuited to their physiological needs. One example where these poor conditions are rife, is again, at Cumbria Safari Zoo. The zoo holds a troop of baboons captive, and during the investigation it was witnessed how many challenges these complex animals are often forced to endure in these environments. Poor management and lacking infrastructure at the zoo has led to the baboons' outdoor enclosure becoming flooded on numerous occasions. When this occurs, the electric fence no longer works and the baboons are made to stay indoors until it is fixed. This happened whilst our investigator was present at the zoo, and it was overheard that the baboons had been kept indoors, without being cleaned out, for over five days straight. Keepers were observed discussing how filthy and poor the conditions can be after one day of not cleaning, let alone five, so the situation must have been dire for them all trapped inside. Zoochosis is evidently rife in the troop, with many bar-biting the metal fencing and wood in the run out of frustration. Zoos are prisons for animals. Every investigation into them highlights the same, systemic issues, leading to animals suffering injury, stress and even death due to the management of their species in captivity. Tragedy is widespread, and for what? Zoos do not benefit conservation, as animals born in zoos will not make it back to their wild homes, despite zoos misleading marketing claims that they help wild populations in any way. The reality is, animals born in zoos, die in zoos. This International Primate Day, we call on you to boycott zoos, and recognise that these animals deserve to live a life of freedom and respect in their natural habitats, where they can thrive and contribute to their ecosystems as nature intended them to do. Where individuals are unable to be released for any reason, true sanctuaries, such as the GFAS-accredited 'Wild Futures' monkey sanctuary in Cornwall, offer a vital safe haven for primates who have been neglected and abused throughout their lives in captivity. Please support them if you can by visiting their website today. To all of the primates who have already lost their lives in the zoo system, we are sorry… we will not forget what you have suffered. And to all the primates still languishing and suffering in captivity - we see you, and will not stop fighting until you are free. You can help primates in zoos today, by becoming a Freedom Champion. With you by our side, we will secure our long-term goal. We will end animal exploitation for good. Join us! Plus, over the next two weeks, 1st - 15th September 2024, when you sign up to a monthly gift, you will not only receive our Freedom Champion sign-up pack*, but you will also receive a cute eco orangutan toy, as an extra special thank you! Animals should not be forced to live like this. You can help end this cruelty! Join us today and help fight for the freedom of ALL animals. JOIN US Manage Cookie Preferences