Don't Let Zoo Break Up 20-Year Chimp Friendship!
Two chimps named Jayson and Nikita lived together for 20 years at Lucknow Zoo in Uttar Pradesh, India. The male and female couple comforted each other through long years of captivity, and their keeper said, "They are one of the most compatible and beautiful animal couples I have seen in my 30-year career."
Zoo officials plan to break up the couple because they haven't produced offspring. They plan to transfer Nikita to another zoo, with a different male chimp, in hopes that they'll produce a baby. This will leave Jayson alone, for the first time in his life, to grieve the loss of his long term companion.
Studies have shown that chimps respond to the loss of loved ones with the same emotions that humans do, and some have shown signs of depression. Please sign the petition to urge Lucknow Zoo officials to leave these chimps together.
We, the undersigned, are concerned with your plans to break up two chimps named Jayson and Nikita, who lived together for 20 years at your zoo. As you may know, their keeper said, "They are one of the most compatible and beautiful animal couples I have seen in my 30-year career."
We understand that you plan to break up the couple because they haven't produced offspring. This will leave Jayson alone, for the first time in his life, to grieve the loss of his long term companion.
Studies have shown that chimps respond to the loss of loved ones with the same emotions that humans do, and some have shown signs of depression. We respectfully urge you to leave these chimps together and abandon any plans of separating them now or in the future. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
