GAP Project Spain began has been receiving dramatic appeals of organizations and people of the city of Mendoza, Argentina, for the life of female chimpanzee Cecilia, who lives alone after her companions died – first Charly and then Xuxa, a few months ago – at the city zoo in Argentina. Cecilia is depressed, feeling lonely and abandoned to her fate, as authorities do not take any action on her destination.

Days ago, the Director of GAP Project Spain, Pedro Pozas Terrados, who last year visited Mendoza zoo as part of his trip through Argentina, to promote the cause of Great Apes Rights, issued a statement warning the people of the country, especially the citizens of Mendoza, on the situation in which Cecilia was in and called the cage where she lives for more than 30 years as a “den” where no one deserves to live.

The press media of Argentina got to know tge complaint and gave it great prominence. At the same time, Judge Dr. Maria Alejandra Mauricio, of the Third Court of Guarantees of Mendoza, welcomed and considered a writ of Habeas Corpus presented by AFADA organization (which brings together officials and lawyers who defend animals) in mid-June. The judge took the following actions: notified local authorities about this action, a hearing  will be taken  on August 12^th with all parties involved and a technical visit to the zoo will be done, to know more about the captivity conditions. At the same time, on July 7^th  the Justice made a surprise visit to the zoo to assess Cecilia situation.

The Director of the Zoo, Gustavo Pronotto, with whom the Director of GAP Spain talked last year, asking for the transference of Cecilia to some appropriate and decent destination, said that he was trying to transfer her to a zoo in Rio Negro location. This is the same place where the male chimpanzee Toti is living for more than two years, after being sent from Cordoba Zoo, on the verge of another Habeas Corpus to release him.

AFADA has stated that the attitude of the Judge has great significance in the struggle for recognition of the basic rights of great apes, as to accept the application for Habeas Corpus, which was previously rejected as unfounded, the understanding is that it is implied Cecilia is not an object, but a non-human person, ensuring her access to legal instruments that protect people, as guaranteed by Article 43 of the Argentine Constitution.

The fate of this lonely and abandoned chimpanzee in an anti-human prison no longer depends on the owners of that infamous captivity, but on the Justice of Argentina, which can write in letters of gold, as an example to the world, that Great Apes are people too.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian

President, GAP Project International