Primates in captivity
By Paulo Nunes Dos Santos
15 July 2008
As a child I use to love the occasional visit to the Zoo. My favorite part was the tour through the primates area.
The excitement started when my parents purchased a small packet of monkey-nuts to give to the chimpanzees as a reward for the hilarious tricks they preformed all-day-long for the visitors. The chance to feed the chimps would make my day!
Almost 20 years later, during a trip to a capital city of one of the European Union countries, I decide to visit the local Zoo with the hope to revive that same excitement from before.
With a packet of monkey-nuts in one hand and a film camera in the other, I followed the signs to the primates area, but as soon as I got there I understood that this would be a totally different experience. This time I could fell the sadness and solitude express in their eyes.
That day I started to question if this is the best way to preserve endangered species. That same day I decide never again to visit a Zoo.
