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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.”