May 21, 2007
Send in the Clowns…to Entertain the Monkeys
German zoo bosses hired a local entertainer to amuse the primates - apparently, monkey business is boring.
Christina Peter is now the official zoo clown. She stops by and plays games, makes puzzles and does other foolish activities to keep the monkeys, chimps, baboons, gorillas and orangutans engaged.
Zoo officials opted to bring Peter in to entertain the primates after vets said the animals were increasingly sick or aggressive due to boredom. Peter is happy to help, “When I was young, I would go to a zoo and see animals and a lot of them looked bored and that made me feel very sad,” she said. “Doing this makes me feel good because I am making their lives as comfortable as possible.”
And, according to Peters, the animals seem to enjoy her hijinks, “They go wild when they see me coming because they know they’re going to have some fun.”
“In nature, animals spend their whole day looking for food,” says animal psychologist Jennifer Ringleb. “In zoos, they have nothing to do, they get bored. In extreme cases they will get sick or aggressive. Animals that have something to do are happier and more balanced.”
Girl Saved by Mary Poppins Impersonation
An 18-year-old student was blown off a six-story building in China. Lucky for Zhang Haijing, the umbrella she was holding slowed her fall.
Haijing was blown from a slippery walkway outside a sixth floor laundry by a sudden gust of wind. Her umbrella was caught by the wind, blowing her over the edge. Because Haijing managed to keep hold of the brolly as she fell, her descent slowed and she landed in the soft soil of a nearby vegetable garden.
The girl is now stable in a Zhejiang Province hospital and will undergo a series of operations for the injuries she suffered.
Haijing’s family is appealing for help to replenish her savings, which is being spent on her care, so she can continue her studies once her recovery is complete.
