Fearing Freedom

When monkeys raised in captivity, trapped their entire lives, are released from concrete and cages into open green spaces, they do not always know what to do.

One monkey, when released, paces back and forth on the narrow strip of concrete outside his trap door. He can't manage even the grass just beyond the concrete. He tries it out, but panics, returns to the concrete, pacing, anxious, finally recedes into the trap door.

Another monkey sees the open door to his cage, knows what to do, leaps past the concrete onto the grass, rolls around, sees the endlessness of the open space before him -- and the freedom he is about to experience -- and he does not hesitate, moves into the wide open, accelerating into a new life.

The Urge to Play

The passion to play is a powerful learning tool. Animals tend to play in relaxed environments and don't tend to play with predators around. However, animals who live in high-risk environments know how to adapt, and often play in a high-risk way - this helps them to learn better how to contend with the risks around them.

Animals who don't learn how to play become rogues, and grow up to become aggressive and violent. Animals need to play daily, just like we need to talk to other people daily.