What was to be…isn’t

At the middle of the week, the human family of Chippy came for a first visit after her arrival here. In the intervening month, she had settled down to the routine of life with other monkeys and she had gained weight. In fact she had gone a stage further and had formed a special relationship with Schatov. He was her constant and solicitous companion. On several occasions we saw them making love. Our photograph was taken at that time and was to represent the success of her integration with people of her own kind. (The photograph has been deliberately clipped).
Early in the morning of Friday July 25th, 2008 and without any warning her human family arrived and collected her. Taking her back to the human home in San Carlos, Cojedes. The reason given, among the tears was that her absence was causing the ill health of members of her human family. I am not going to dwell on the cruelty this represents. For the first time this adult female monkey had friends and a relationship with people of her own kind. She was able to feel the wind and rain on her face and breathe the forest air. We have known Chippy for many years because she has been brought here for visits on a couple of occasions. We regard it as a tragedy that she has now been denied her life with her own kind, for the worst of all selfish reasons. Schatov has spent two days searching for her.