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Adie Timmermans, known for her love of monkeys at the Antwerp Zoo, Belgium, has now been banned from the zoo. The woman is prohibited after sharing an “unhealthy relationship” with one of the chimpanzees, causing the male chimpanzee to be excluded from its group.
Belgian news channel ATV interviewed Adie Timmermans, during which she expressed love for her simian soulmate. She said:
“I love that animal and he loves me.”
The now-banished woman had been visiting Chita, the 38-year-old male chimpanzee, for four years on a weekly basis. Adie Timmermans labeled her meetings with the chimpanzee as a “real relationship.”
It was reported that, during Adie Timmermans' visits to Antwerp Zoo, the two would blow kisses and wave to each other across the bars.
Although the zoo has put an end to the unorthodox relationship, Timmermans believes that the attraction between her and Chita is mutual.
Why was Adie Timmermans banned from the zoo?
Zoo officials have reported that Timmermans and Chita’s relationship has caused the chimpanzee to be excluded from his peers. They said that the primate had been spending 15 hours of the day outside of visiting hours alone after being expelled from his group.
Zoo curator Sarah Lafaut told ATV:
“When Chita is constantly surrounded by visitors, the other animals ignore him and don't consider him part of the group. He then sits on his own outside of visiting hours. An animal that is too focused on people is less respected by its peers and we want Chita to be a chimpanzee as much as possible.”
While responding to the new ban, Adie Timmermans said:
“I haven’t got anything else, why do they want to take that away?”
Despite a ban being put up to reintegrate the chimpanzee back into its group, zoo officials think it will be futile as the animal was exposed to humans from a very young age.
Chita was donated to the zoo after he became unmanageable. The chimpanzee had spent 30 out of his 38 years being captive. As a result, he is now unable to mingle with his own kind and is rather more affectionate with humans.
