Renowned primatologist Frans de Waal once said, “If we look straight and deep into a chimpanzee’s eyes, an intelligent self-assured personality looks back at us. If they are animals, what must we be?” Taken conversely: if we are people, what must they be? There is something mystical about gazing into the eyes of a chimp, our closest living relative. In their eyes there is a deep and moving sentience that is unmistakeable and profoundly unforgettable. I was lucky enough to experience this while tracking chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, Uganda. In the level of depth and understanding, it is comparable only to locking eyes with a fellow human being; to me, the experience is cathartic.
Photographing a chimpanzee.
It has been proven by a myriad of studies that nonhuman primates, though most specifically the great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas), possess self-awareness, cognition, and complex sociality. In their behavior and development, they are truly not so dissimilar to Homo sapiens – though this is hard for some people to admit. Because not only of our evolutionary closeness but our subsequent commonality with the members of the order Primates, these animals should be considered nonhuman persons, and should be granted basic rights.
In order to develop normally, primates need copious amounts of stimulation, enrichment, and socialization. This is true also of humans, which every parent knows firsthand. One simply wouldn’t raise a child behind bars or secluded in a basement – such action is
A nursing juvenile vervet monkey in Entebbe, Uganda.
inhumane, as it is crippling for the growth of the child and for the child’s overall welfare. The very same is true of primates, though all too often these creatures are kept as pets and are withheld from achieving their true potential as members of their species. It is my opinion that these animals deserve the basic right to life in their natural habitat, among their peers. It has been observed, proven, and demonstrated countless times that nonhuman primates exhibit a staggering array of emotions, and are thus completely conscious of the overwhelming suffering inherent in medical research, the illegal wildlife trade, and captivity in unaccredited zoological institutions. The continuation of such practices, while knowing full well of the animal’s enormous emotional and physiological capacity, is comparable to the most awful crimes in human society: torture and abduction. It is absolutely disgusting to treat our evolutionary cousins in such a manner.
Granting members of the order Primates rights as nonhuman people would undoubtedly do much to secure their wellbeing on this Earth. Though, this is not to say that other beings do not deserve such rights: this is only the starting point of our (long overdue) recognition of and basic respect for our fellow Earthlings. If we cannot grant basic rights to a creature so similar to us as the chimpanzee, I fear we are doomed as a civilization: we will be left to squander our Earth in the pursuit of meaningless, irreverent self-indulgence.
If we did grant chimpanzees the status of non-human persons, how would we work to enforce their rights? How would we work to make sure that this title isn’t simply a nominal one?
Hi Munazza – great question! The issue of chimpanzee personhood has been brought to court multiple times, and there’s an organization called the Chimpanzee Collaboratory consisting of lawmakers, scientists, and lawyers that advocates establishing chimp personhood. Basically, because we humans are primarily responsible for chimp suffering (entertainment, medical research, wildlife trade), we are responsible for upholding their rights. This would entail the proper legislation banning infringements on chimp rights, which would empower the Humane Society, International Animal Rescue, and other animal welfare groups to act within the law to ensure chimps’ rights are respected. Further, these groups could be granted guardianship of specific chimps, and allowed to speak on their behalf in court when necessary – as in cases of abuse in the entertainment industry and other instances. It would definitely require a lot of oversight and enforcement, but I believe these animal rights organizations would be up to the task.
It’s really interesting to note that primates are similar to humans to the point where they may be non-human persons. I think one of the key moments of Hominids is when Ponter realizes that humanity has extinguished many life forms and has actively hunted chimpanzees. He states that chimps are “our cousins” and that they’re an invaluable form of life due to their genetic makeup. I tend to agree with Ponter’s realization. There have been stories of chimps and gorillas saving humans or not murdering them on sight (as other predatory animals may do): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N05CItceEdg
My opinion on capturing any animal in zoos is that it’s incredibly sad. As a child I loved to see the animals and thought that we were treating them fairly in captivity. However, nowadays with all the stories of mistreatment and poor conditions, I think animals would fare better in their natural habitat (ideally free of poachers) unless they’re an endangered species (in which case we should keep them in the best conditions as we rehabilitate their kind). I believe that with a species such as primates, it is cruel to keep them locked up when they have exhibited signs of being emotional, caring, and having the ability to learn and understand (such as Koko the gorilla).