Guaranteeing the best possible living conditions for the great apes in Italian zoos: this is the goal of Jane Goodall, the world's leading expert on chimpanzees and UN Messenger of Peace, who with the Jane Goodall Institute Italy (JDI) sent to the competent ministries a proposal to guarantee minimum criteria for the captive management of great apes in the BelPaese zoos.
The famous British ethologist (who signed the proposal together with the president of the JDI Daniela De Donno) aims to integrate the Legislative Decree 21 March 2005 n.
73 on keeping wild animals in zoos.
A proposal that aims to safeguard chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans housed in Italian zoos.
"These are the living beings most similar to us - we read in a note from the JDI - of species that have an intense relational and emotional life, different personalities, complex behaviors and self-awareness. Zoos are often a controversial topic. but it is Jane Goodall herself who makes it clear that life in captivity can sometimes be an alternative to staying in nature ".
Among the minimum requirements proposed by the Jane Goodall Institute Italia for the assistance of great apes in Italian zoos, there are fences with adequate characteristics and dimensions;
suitable environments from the point of view of temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting;
insulation from noise sources.
Furthermore, since these are animals with a marked sociality, in captivity an effort must be made to recreate groups that reflect the situation in nature, to safeguard the physical and psychological well-being of the animals and to facilitate behavior appropriate to the species.
An individual should never be isolated from the group (except for medical reasons), just as babies should never be separated from their mothers without a valid reason.
Monkeys should never come into physical contact with visitors.
Particular attention, then, should be dedicated to health safety.
In fact, the Great Monkeys are susceptible to many human diseases.