As a repercussion of  the application of freedom for chimpanzees Toti and Monti, in Argentine zoos, and of the visit of Pedro Pozas Terrados, president of Gran Simio Project, of Spain, to the country, to give several lectures and be honored by the University of Cordoba, this controversy, which started a few months ago, has intensified.

Daily newspaper La Nación, the most important of Argentina, in a recent story, makes the following placements: “The rise of pioneer applications for Habeas Corpus in the courts of several countries – among them, the Argentineans – questions, with scientific and legal arguments, the confinement of intelligent and high capable animals in zoos, as are chimps, and demand an update in the jurisprudence in order to give them legal “status”, which allows to guarantee three basic rights: life, liberty and not to be abused either physically or psychologically.

The arguments of conservationists guide to the abolishment of “the abusive and arbitrary insistence” to isolate these intelligent beings, who “maintains emotional ties, reasoning, feel, frustrate for being caged, make decisions, have self awareness and perception of time, cry for their losses, learn to communicate and are able to transmit the cultural learning in complex systems such as humans”. These points are mentioned before the Justices of Córdoba, Río Negro, Santiago del Estero and Entre Ríos. The goal is not to give them full autonomy nor equate them to humans – if you insist on legal representation -. But that they can be transferred to sanctuaries to live in semi-freedom system with their peers, away from the stress of confinement in inappropriate places.

Martin Kause, economist and professor at the Faculty of Law, of University of Buenos Aires, commenting on these arguments on La Nación says that “this is not an economic issue, but the philosophy of law, nevertheless binds with daily themes related t to the right to property.  It has to do with ownership of the animals and, in this case, about chimpanzees and other apes, “he adds,” the property has its degree and the worst that could happen to apes is that there is no: it would sink in the tragedy of common, they would have many hunters and few protectors. Maybe – suggests – a figure limited property could be created, in the sense of being unable to dispose of their lives, or subjecting them to mistreatment, but at the same time have sufficient incentives to care for them and favor their reproduction. ”

The debate has spread across media in the country. The theme that was unknown to the vast majority of the population, with the first Habeas Corpus, filed by the representative of GAP in Argentina, Prof. María Alejandra Juarez, to release chimpanzee Toti, p who was practically kidnapped in the middle of night in a public zoo in the city of Córdoba, to a private zoo in an inhospitable region, in the province of Río Negro, imploded in public opinion.

The visit of Pedro Pozas and the application of scientists and celebrities to sign the World Manifesto, which states that the Great Apes are non human persons, have also encouraged this controversy and animal advocacy groups insist that a solution is given by the Argentine justice in a future immediately.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian

President, GAP Project International

Notícias relacionadas:

https://www.projetogap.org.br/en/noticia/director-gap-spain-visit-brazil-argentina/

https://www.projetogap.org.br/en/noticia/toti-millionaires-caprice/