Monkey Business


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Published: March 2nd 2009
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Today I saw something so heartbreakingly cruel, I am compelled to write about it - I saw a monkey chained to a tree with shackles around its neck.

Those of you who know me will know that when it comes to animals I have honourable principles. I don´t eat anything with a face and I don´t buy leather. But surely even the most hardened carnivorous bull-fighting game-hunting cowboy would find this completely wrong.

The poor monkey in question is apparently called Pico and watermelon is his favourite fruit. A sad irony - humanising an animal by giving it a name and then treating it so inhumanely. I just don´t understand why anyone would do this. Is it to amuse tourists? Is it meant to be cute? I hate the thought that it is for the benefit of travellers like us. Perhaps the owners felt they ought to have a monkey on site after they name the property Monkey Island Hotel (should be Monkey Prison Horror). A fine place to stay if it wasn´t for the monkey business.

It was an utterly unacceptable situation, yet there is little more we could do apart from voice our disapproval to the owners. The monkey was "mischievous", they offered in explanation. Let´s hope they don´t do the same with naughty children.

I felt bad just even taking a photograph in case that in some way validated the monkey´s imprisonment for its captors. But I took a picture regardless to record this outrage.

My heart was slightly uplifted later when we went down to a small pebbled beach on the southern shore of Ometepe Island. A free and unchained monkey was happily jumping around from tree to tree, nibbling wild fruits and leaves. As it should be.

From Jess

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