Primitive, but humans!

Even if we like our work very much, it is always needed and healthy to take a break, take a vacation. It is a moment that we can stay more with our family and, mainly, that we can rest. After all, it is natural that a physical and mental fatigue happens, mainly when you work with intelligent and sensible beings, who bring, each one of them, a history of life marked by traumas that are, several times, irreversible.

I must confess that I needed to “switch off” a little bit from work, because here we absorb a lot from the sad stories of mistreating, we suffers and end up “contaminated” together with chimpanzees, lions, tigers and all the animals that are here trying to recover from human insanity.

When I returned, I felt happiness, very good energy and reception coming from the chimpanzees. It can be strange for those who are reading and have no experience of living day-by-day with these primates. But I really felt this way when I saw them again, after one month away, and they were happy for seeing I was back. Some quickly called me for playing run yelling with joy, other gesticulated from a distance and with those who were near, the grooming as immediate.

It is normal that we describe human characteristics to chimpanzees too. Some call this humanization. But how could these actions be defined if not being used by us? After all, even being humans in a primitive way, it is obvious that they have feelings. Even with some scientists and academic magazines refuse humane characteristics in chimpanzees, facts are stronger. Maybe the fear to accept this is hidden in the fear that they would be obliged to look at our evolutionary brothers in a special way. Genetics, Biochemistry, Ethology etc, soon there will be no more ways to deny that great primates are our image and similarity. And this scares a lot of people. But this day will rise soon and all human omnipotence will be doubt. After all, what we have of so special? Why we do not accept that we are one more species inserted in the environment and therefore we should learn to live with everybody and everything? To deny our animal nature is like cover the sun with the bolter. Of all species, it is too incoherent that we are the only one that destroys the world in which live.

Today, coming back from my vacation, I say that kindness, affection and memories that the chimpanzees demonstrated to me are my motivation and renew my strength to fight for them everyday.

MSc. Luiz Fernando Leal Padulla
Biologist/ GAP Sanctuary Sorocaba