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Workers Injured In Violent Chimp Attack
Two Of The Chimps Remain On The Loose
Mar 3, 2005 9:08 pm US/Eastern
CALIENTE, Calif. (AP) Four chimpanzees broke from their cages at an animal sanctuary and attacked workers Thursday, seriously injuring two of them, authorities said. Sanctuary employees shot and killed two of the powerful, sometimes aggressive animals.
One employee of Animal Haven Ranch was airlifted to Kern Medical Center and was in critical condition, said Kern County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Hunt. Another worker was in serious condition, said Hunt, who did not know what kind of injuries they suffered.
Two of the escaped chimps remained on the loose from the ranch, about 20 miles southeast of Bakersfield, the sheriff’s department said in a statement. Officials said it was unclear how the animals escaped from their cages.
State Department of Fish and Game spokesman Steve Martarano said wardens with tranquilizer equipment were sent to the sanctuary to capture the chimps. He said it was unclear whether the primates had left the sanctuary grounds.
Animal Haven, about 85 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, cares for animals that have been confiscated or discovered lost. It has held state permits to shelter animals since 1985, Martarano said.
The sanctuary is home to one spider monkey and six chimpanzees, he said. The permits are held by Ralph and Virginia Brauer, who could not be reached immediately for comment.
Chimpanzees can turn surly if not handled properly, said Martine Colette, animal director of another sanctuary, the Wildlife WayStation near Los Angeles.
“Chimps are notoriously strong and they have some very, very specific behaviors,” Colette said Thursday. “If someone tries to confine them, they will definitely put up a fight.”
Perhaps the best-known chimp at Animal Haven, named Moe, was not involved in the attack, Martarano said. Moe had lived for more than 30 years with a West Covina couple who waged an unsuccessful legal fight to keep him at their home after he bit off part of a guest’s finger.
The Davises were visiting Moe at an animal sanctuary in the hills of eastern Kern County — a place to which he had been banished after biting a woman — when they were attacked by two other chimps and brutally mauled.
St. James Davis took the brunt of the attack, the ferocity of which left paramedics stunned.
“I had no idea a chimpanzee was capable of doing that to a human,” said Kern County Fire Capt. Curt Merrell, who was among the first on the scene.
Davis, who remained in critical condition Friday, was badly disfigured. According to his wife, he lost all the fingers from both hands, an eye, part of his nose, cheek and lips, and part of his buttocks. His foot was mutilated, and his heel bone was cracked.
“They don’t think he’s ever going to be the same,” LaDonna Davis said, her voice strong but her hands shaking.
She spoke outside her home Friday evening, having been released from the hospital. She lost a thumb in the attack.
I know this is gonna sound wierd.....but maybe housing animals in their natural habitat would be best.
In other words...keep them where they are supposed to be.
This wouldnt happen if we would just let them be.
I can see people taking and housing endangered species to make sure they dont die off, but just to house animals because they want to have them there for people to look at...its kind of strange.
If people really wanted to see animals...go to the nearest department of corrections and see the vicious creatures living there.
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
I read about this poor guy that had his face bitten off, it probably wont suprise people who work closely with chimps as they are regarded as the most violent animals on the planet, they can sanp at the drop of a hat for no apparent reason and this is regardless of wether they are in captivity or not, there have been reports of Chimps in the wild wandering in to villages and killing babies for the hell of it not for food or protection or anything.
The sacry thing is that they are a lot like us.
Damn, they are a LOT stronger than I thought... I would normally make a stupid joke like, I could still take 'em, but after hearing that they chewed the guys fingers off, I have to be quiet and feel for the couple.
Yeah, they have something like triple our strength.
Sucks for the guy, I feel bad. But that's why I don't mess with big animals like that. Dogs and cats are fine. Your rabbits or hamsters I can hang with. But chimps and tigers, man, leave them alone. Even horses. Except for sheep. I'll kick a sheeps butt. But not the big horn sheep, they're tough.
03-04-2005 03:54 AM
