Dancing Monkey Cruelty Ends: 31 Macaques Rescued from Notorious Training Center in Indonesia
In a momentous victory for animal welfare, 31 macaque monkeys have been rescued from a notorious training center in Indonesia, marking the end of their lives of suffering as ‘dancing monkeys.’ The rescued monkeys, some as young as eight months old when taken from the wild, endured months of cruel training regimes, including starvation, beatings, and being chained by their necks. They were forced into masks and doll outfits, made to stand for hours on two legs, and subjected to choking if they failed to comply. When not performing, they were confined to tiny, solitary cages for extended periods.
This successful rescue was spearheaded by the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) with vital support from World Animal Protection. The monkeys have been transferred from their handlers in Cirebon and relocated to the JAAN rehabilitation center in Cikole, West Java. Their rehabilitation program will focus on restoring their physical and mental health, aiming to eventually return them to their natural habitat.
Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, Head of Animal Welfare and Research at World Animal Protection, expressed the organization’s commitment to ending this cruel practice: “These monkeys have endured one of the cruelest training regimes imaginable. After being stolen from their mothers as babies and tortured for months, their living nightmare is finally over. We helped end bear dancing in Greece, Turkey, India, and Nepal, and now we are one step closer to ending these horrific dancing monkey practices in Indonesia for good. We look forward to the day when we can celebrate a nationwide ban on dancing monkeys. Macaques are wild animals who have the right to live a wild life. We’re happy that together with our partners at Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) we can give these monkeys a second chance.”
Femke den Haas, CEO at Jakarta Animal Aid Network, shared her relief: “These are Jono and Monon, both male long tail macaques who have endured a life of suffering since they were little infants. They were terribly abused while being trained as a ‘dancing monkey’ and during the entertainment of tourists. It is such an incredible relief to see the dark boxes, in which the monkeys were kept when they were not performing, finally get opened. It is really heartwarming, knowing that their journey to freedom has started in which they will be able to connect to each other and to other primates and live a life they truly deserve.”
The rescued monkeys are now undergoing a two-to-three-month quarantine period to prevent the spread of diseases. During this time, they will undergo a series of veterinary examinations, including X-rays to detect any gunshot wounds. Macaques are often shot when poached from the wild, frequently with air rifles that use small bullets intended to injure rather than kill. This will be followed by a rehabilitation program where the monkeys will adapt to new diets and environments, learning crucial survival skills like climbing, foraging, and predator avoidance. JAAN also prioritizes fostering family bonds between the rescued monkeys, enabling them to reintegrate into a social structure resembling their natural wild setting.
This rescue marks a significant step towards eradicating the ‘dancing monkey’ practice in Indonesia. The training center in Cirebon, where the rescued monkeys were held, will be closed permanently. However, while this represents a crucial victory, more needs to be done to fully eradicate the practice across the country. World Animal Protection and JAAN are actively working to ensure that this is the last generation of dancing monkeys, collaborating with the Indonesian government and supporting handlers to transition to sustainable livelihoods that do not involve animal exploitation.
The plight of the long-tailed macaque highlights the alarming exploitation of primates in Indonesia. Their intelligence and social skills have sadly made them a target for the entertainment, pet, and research industries. Years of exploitation have driven this species towards endangerment. World Animal Protection’s Bred for Profit research revealed that approximately 5.5 billion animals are kept on wildlife farms worldwide, subjected to appalling conditions for entertainment, tourist attractions, or to be transformed into ornaments, luxury food, fashion products, or traditional medicine. The organization is tirelessly working to end these cruel practices.
World Animal Protection US has launched a fundraising campaign to support the rescue mission. The funds will be used to provide food, veterinary care, and essential resources for the rescued monkeys throughout their rehabilitation journey. If you wish to contribute to this vital cause, you can donate by clicking here.
