- Chimpanzees at Magdeburg Zoo in northern Germany have gone hairless
- Zookeepers said it was due to excessive grooming
- But animal rights activists said the animals were deeply stressed.
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German zookeepers were horrified after seeing chimpanzees almost completely hairless.
Chimpanzees at Magdeburg Zoo in northern Germany have been seen with only small tufts of hair on their bodies, showing off their gruesome, muscular physiques to zoo visitors.
The chimpanzees were said to have pulled out their hair because they were “stressed”.
But zookeepers told visitors they had simply been “too groomed,” according to a poster hung next to their enclosure.
Chimpanzees are known to groom each other. It’s one of the many ways animal families bond with each other.
Felix Huseman, veterinarian at Magdeburg Zoo, told Bild: “Our animals are doing very well from a health point of view.”
Chimpanzees at Magdeburg Zoo in northern Germany have only been seen with small tufts of hair on their bodies.
The chimpanzees were said to have pulled out their hair because they were “stressed”.
Felix Huseman, veterinarian at Magdeburg Zoo, told Bild: “Our animals are doing very well from a health point of view”
But animal rights activists said rapid hair loss was not caused by excessive grooming, but was a symptom of “serious psychological stress disorders.”
Peta said: “Some of them had visible bald spots on their heads, chests and backs of their shoulders; some were now almost completely hairless.
“Additionally, some animals consumed their own feces.”
Peta claimed that the chimpanzees’ “behavioral disturbances” indicated “significant and ongoing suffering” caused by stress, fear, boredom and frustration, all of which can cause chimpanzees to behave strangely.
Just a few years ago, in 2019, the chimpanzees escaped from their outdoor enclosure and zookeepers were forced to move them to a smaller cage.
Magdeburg Zoo spent £1.6million building an escape-proof roof, but it is only expected to be completed later this year.
Peta filed a criminal complaint against the zoo in 2021, but it was dismissed.
But the rights group has now filed a complaint against the prosecutor’s office that closed the investigation and demanded a final decision on the procedure.
“We call on politicians and the zoo to completely abandon the captivity of great apes at Magdeburg Zoo,” Peta said.
“It is a crime to imprison great apes,” added spokesperson Dr Yovnne Würz.