THE IKEA MONKEY WILL BE WATCHING.
I have a history with monkeys. Don't laugh. Two years ago, I heard about a Hamadryas baboon named "Chelsea" who never missed my "Square Off" show on CHCH at 5:30 p.m. Seriously. I read about it in the Toronto Star. Apparently Chelsea was owned by someone in Hamilton, and I guess the owner left the TV set on all day, and Chelsea became quite familiar with CHCH. When the owner couldn't take care of this baboon any longer, "Chelsea" was taken away to Story Brook farms, the same place the Ikea Monkey, "Darwin", now resides.
I got a chance to visit Story Brook farms and see for myself what kind of life "Chelsea" was living. She had her own large cage, and was surrounded by a couple of dozen other primates, all of whom had been abused, neglected or otherwise shunned by their owners. Some were used as actors in films or TV shows and then discarded. Some were used for medical experiments and some were pets who became too difficult to look after. There were baboons, capuchins, Japanese Macaques, Spider monkeys, marmosets and lemurs. All were very well fed and seemed to enjoy their life at Story Brook, although they never actually said so. It's tough to get a straight answer from these primates. They're easily distracted.
When Chelsea heard my voice, she perked up immediately and slowly moved from the very back of the cage towards the door. The look on her face suggested she was wondering, processing, listening and slowly figuring out that I was the one who kept her company every afternoon. It's kind of spooky when a big baboon is staring at you between the bars of her cage. She looked over at the TV set which was sitting dark across from her cage and then slowly moved her eyes towards me. The staff at the farm were thrilled. Chelsea, known for being easily bored, was being quite sociable. As I moved a little closer to the edge of the cage, I was suddenly, and violently, pulled back by one of the staff. "You can't get too close" I was told. Apparently, Chelsea was quick enough and strong enough to reach through the bars and choke me to death (She wouldn't be the first to want to subdue me in such a manner) Even though she watched me on TV every day, there was a chance that she disagreed with my point of view on something and wished to show her displeasure. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and let out a scream that could only be described as "blood curdling". It was so loud and so scary, I thought she was angry at me (again, not a surprise). I was told, however, that this is how she expressed joy. I can only imagine what sound she'd make if she were upset.
I spent a couple of hours at the farm, along with my wife and sons. We came away with a new appreciation for the people who run the farm and all the volunteers who want to make life more pleasurable for these animals. The owners of "Darwin", who say the monkey should be able to choose where he wants to live, are unable to visit their "pet", and that must be difficult for them and for "Darwin". I never like to see anyone lose their pet, and this must be especially difficult for all parties because "Darwin" is only 7 months old. However, "Darwin" is one lucky monkey. Sherri Delaney, who runs Story Brook, is about the most welcoming person you will ever encounter. She and her staff, I'm sure, have rolled out the red carpet for their new tenant. "Darwin" will be treated well, and once the separation anxiety has subsided, will enjoy a long and happy life with his new friends. Maybe he'll even follow in the footsteps of "Chelsea" by watching my TV show.
Unfortunately, Chelsea passed away last summer and will never get to meet "Darwin". But, oh, the stories she could tell.
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