Monkeys forced into performance school in China
Monkeys forced into performance school in China Macaques in frilly dresses turn backflips and answer maths questions for crowds of screaming children at a Chinese monkey school, where trainers teach them to waltz and play rock drums. Shows featuring performing simians, popular in China and throughout Asia, are expecting a boost in the Lunar New Year of the monkey. But they are facing a growing backlash from Chinese people concerned about animal welfare. “It’s like a human school, but using monkeys,” said Takeshi Soma, the Japanese “headmaster” of the facility, at a zoo in Dongying in the eastern province of Shandong. His charges are about a dozen macaques from snow-capped mountains near Tokyo, who receive one-on-one tuition from a team of live-in instructors. “This kind of training is the first in China,” track-suited Soma said. He watched as staff in sequined waistcoats clothed the monkeys in multicoloured gowns, leading them on stage in a mock Viennese ball. “I think ...