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Articles and
Reports In 2007 the
University of California, Davis passed the milestone of imprisoning
and/or experimenting on over 7600 non-human primates in one year. The
majority of these monkeys are rhesus macaques, crab-eating macaques and
titi monkeys. It is almost impossible to visually conceptualize a group
of over 7000 primates – let alone a facility capable of holding this
many animals. Your
donation will help us to continue fighting for the freedom of these
animals! The inadequacy of our ability to conceptualize a facility of this
nature is surpassed only by the level to which the
University of
California, Davis must be inadequate to meet the needs of the 7600
primates incarcerated there. Rhesus monkeys are known to traverse as
much as 1 square mile of territory in a day’s time. Even if some of
these primates have overlapping territory, to provide 7000 primates with
some level of adequate space the
University of
California, Davis would require several thousand square miles of
land, placing it somewhere between the states of Delaware and
Connecticut in size. Instead of a square mile of territory per monkey, many laboratories
have decided that a monkey is just fine with approximately nine square
feet of living space. The results of this kind of severe confinement are
totally predictable -- stress, disease, and psychological abnormality.
This level of confinement is accepted by the USDA as adequate. The lives of over 7000 primates cannot be thought about in any
systematic way. There is just too much information here to be handled or
examined in any meaningful way. During 2007 and the first half of 2008
approximately 400 primates died at
UC Davis. The lives
of these monkeys are documented in about 2000 pages of clinical records
and post mortem reports. There are no photos, no names -- only numbers.
Lives that should have included running, playing, raising offspring,
etc. have been reduced to a few pages of medical terminology. There is
no individuality, no personality, no relationship. Thousands of lives
are reduced to ashes. Many of the monkeys inside
UC Davis have had
lives which spanned decades of incarceration. Their years are summed up
in only a few pages. They spent years being moved from cage to cage,
shuffled around like a living deck of cards. In the end, they are
described in only a few sentences. Those sentences show the final result
of their incarceration. First, they were robbed of their freedom. Then
they lost anything that resembled a natural life. Then, in the final
analysis, they often lost their minds. The few words that describe them
in death reveal the chaos and self-loathing that must have filled their
minds. Primate #27432 was 14 years and 7 months old when he died in November
of 2007. His death is summarized: “The cutaneous lesions were consistent
with clinical diagnosis of self trauma.” Primate #30805 died in January
of 2008. In January of 2003 a finger was amputated. In July of 2003
another finger was amputated. In the 5 intervening years there is no
further mention of injuries or treatment, and yet the necropsy report
states: “The animal is presented in good flesh with severe traumatic
injuries (self-inflicted) on all limbs.” The statements of death for other primates at the
UC Davis Primate
Center sound like a litany of madness. The necropsy report for primate
#33659 states: “The animal is presented in good flesh with multiple,
mostly healed or healing cutaneous lacerations. (self trauma).” The
post-mortem record for primate #34975 said: “There are multiple
(self-inflicted) cutaneous abrasions/lacerations. (self-trauma).” The
necropsy for primate #35103 continues the litany of lunacy: “The animal
is presented in good flesh with multiple, self-inflicted, cutaneous
wounds on arms and legs (self-mutilation).” The death document for
primate #35927 goes on: “The animal is presented thin with multiple
cutaneous abrasions/lacerations (self-injurious behavior).” And the last
word on Primate #27257 is no less shocking – “The animal is presented in
good flesh with severe musculotaneous trauma to the right arm and the
right side of the face. Body as a whole traumatic abnormality (bite
wounds).” Primate #32104 was born on the 10th of March, 2000. He lives for
seven years and 3 months, undergoing over 30 cage moves. In August of
2002 one of his fingers is bitten severely enough to require stitches.
In October of 2002 one of his toes is amputated after being bitten. In
November of 2002 he suffers from multiple bite wounds to both a finger
and his tail which result in amputations. In May of 2003 his tail again
has a traumatic injury requiring amputation. By October of 2003 a finger
has been injured severely enough to require amputation. In January of
2004 his left leg is lacerated and his right ankle has been bitten. In
June of 2004 a toe is amputated after a bite wound. In October of 2004
his tail is again injured, requiring amputation. In October of 2005, as
part of an experiment, his skull is cut open in two places and the
membrane which surrounds the brain is cut. Ibotenic acid is injected
into his brain. 1 ˝ years later he is killed. Other primates have
similar life histories. Primate #32235 lived for seven years and endured
4 amputations, 1 laceration, traumatic injuries, and bite wounds that
involved the tail, finger, elbow and toe. Primate #28951 endured 4
amputations and 3 bite wounds involving the tail, face and toe. This
story is repeated many, many more times. These are the reactions of minds, not unlike our own, to severely
abnormal conditions. The high levels of stress have many consequences
other than overtly self-destructive behavior. In many of these animals
severe and ongoing conditions of gastro-intestinal inflammation exist.
Enteritis, colitis, etc. are very common. In fact, the 400 or so pages
of post mortem reports use the word colitis 117 times. This stress and
disease can have other consequences. These same 400 pages of death
records use the word inanition, a bodily condition which resembles
starvation, 108 times. Dehydration is discussed 91 times. Their lives were no more healthy or tranquil than their deaths. In
the 1500 pages of documents which discuss their clinical treatments
trauma is mentioned 403 times. Amputation is discussed 143 times. There
were 387 wounds, 221 bites, 70 abrasions, and 40 fractures. During their
lives the females gave birth to 705 live offspring, another 244 were
stillborn: an infant death rate of almost 26%. The existences of these 400 or so intelligent, sensitive animals are
summarized in injuries, illnesses, and deaths. All living things end in
death; this is unavoidable. But it almost seems as though these monkeys
were trying to hasten their deaths. Their injuries, whether
self-inflicted or as violence practiced on each other, have the
appearance of either attempted suicide or madness- induced violence. And
when conscious efforts at death were unsuccessful, their bodies
self-destructed. The stress and insanity prevented them from properly
digesting food: inanition. It has been said that madness is a sane response to an insane
situation. As a species human beings practice insanity on each other
regularly. As “scientists” we practice it on many other species. We use
them as tools, apparatus, experimental subjects. We take their freedom,
their sanity, and eventually their lives. We change them from beings
that have lives to something different. They become nothing more than
information, just data, only numbers. Please help us make a difference for the animals. We have contacted
the Chancellor of the
University of California, Davis to ask for the opportunity to
inspect their primate facilities and to see the primates themselves.
Please urge them to act in a spirit of openness and transparency by
allowing the tour. Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef Our letter to the Chancellor is posted at: We have also filed a complaint with the United States Department of
Agriculture to obtain an investigation of UC Davis Primate Care. Please write to the USDA to ask them to take action against UC Davis
for allowing the primates to suffer so severely that they become
self-destructive. Dr. Robert Gibbens See:
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