Mauled by a Chimp

Attempting to domesticate wild animals can be dangerous, as seen in the recent chimpanzee mauling incident. Travis the chimp, which tore off a woman's face during a rampage on February 16, was raised like a human being and even taught to eat at the table and use a computer, according to a report from the Staten Island Real Time News. This incident is troubling because people have known for years that the chimpanzee as a species is prone to aggression. They start as cute, docile babies and as they grow older, become stronger and increasingly territorial. This is one reason why, when a movie has a chimpanzee character, the animal is either a baby chimp or an orangutan which is less likely to bite or attack.

Every animal has its own inborn temperament and sense of social hierarchy that help it function in the wild. Often, these social structures include an 'alpha'. This leader guides the pack to areas with the best food, water, and shelter, and protects the pack's territory from predators and invaders. The position of the alpha has many privileges, such as deference from other pack members, first pick of the kill, and mating with the females.

The problem with berserk animals arises when humans do not adequately research their pet of choice. For example, there have been many incidents in which a previously friendly bottle-raised llama would suddenly become aggressive and dangerous. The bewildered owners would tell the same story: he was such a sweet, friendly baby, he would follow you around, wagging his tail, and give 'kisses'. Then, after two to three years, he suddenly becomes a different animal - knocking his owners down, stamping on them, and spitting at anyone who approaches.

These owners were ignorant of a prey-animal's social language, as shown in this article written by John Mallon. Llamas should as a rule not be raised exclusively by humans. They need to be taught proper behavior and their place in the pack from other llamas, and to know which species they belong to. Their language is very different from that of a carnivore, as contact is considered aggressive and a test of dominance. Knowing their 'language' and social structure can prevent this 'berserker' syndrome.

Chimpanzees can be looked at the same way; one must research and study their behavior before committing to one. A chimp that is raised from infancy by a human may learn to behave like one, but it still has the wild instincts programmed into its brain. The chimpanzee, like most primates, establishes dominance through physical prowess and noise, and is strong enough to kill even a full grown man. A CBS article mentions that they "kill chimps from neighboring groups, hunt other primates and even attack humans in the wild". Their aggressive and unpredictable behavior can make owning one extremely dangerous if the owner does not take the proper precautions.

At a young age, the chimp must be allowed to interact with other chimps so he will establish a proper sense of species identity. Chimpanzees will often attack to defend their mates, and human-raised chimps will often consider their 'owners' to be 'mates'. Early on, a young chimpanzee must be taught that the owner is the alpha, or the boss. The chimp must be disciplined, and not allowed to invade the owner's personal space, or to take the owner's food or belongings. The owner should be able to invade the chimp's personal space, but the chimp should only be allowed to approach the owner by invitation. Biting and other aggressive actions should be discouraged because while they are cute when the chimp is a baby, they can lead to tragic maulings where the victim loses most or all of his face, and possibly even fingers or entire limbs.

It is my belief that a chimpanzee can be taught to respect humans, but boundaries must be set at a young age to prevent another tragedy.

Associated Press, "Celebrity Chimpanzee Shot Dead After Mauling Woman." Staten Island Real Time News.
John Mallon, "Aberrant Behavior Syndrome." John Mallon - Handling & Training Llamas & Alpacas.
Chris Hawke, "Chimp Mauling Under Investigation." CBS News.
Nancy Dillon, "Man Who Lost Face in '05 Knows Hell of New Chimpanzee Victim." Daily News.