Ape Shit

Ape Sh*t looks at the often sordid relationship between humans and other primate species.

This issue zeroes in on capuchins — and the bizarre American saga of the “service monkey”.

In the late 1970s, advances in medical care saw an increasing number of veterans and crash survivors living with quadriplegia. When word got out that a Tufts psychologist was training tiny capuchins as help-mates, the media went wild. Good Housekeeping, 60 Minutes, and even Disney World jumped on the feel-good story—perhaps these capuchins could be the new guide dogs for the blind. An organization called Helping Hands was set up to make primate placements in the homes of people who needed them.

It wasn’t long, however, before researchers across Canada, Israel, and Europe found that helper monkeys didn't actually help. Capuchins had evolved to leap through jungle canopies, not sit isolated in human households. Every other country dropped the idea. But in the US, Helping Hands continued operations for a full forty-two years—long after its founder departed and the concept proved to be a scientific, logistical, and moral failure.

In this lively, richly illustrated zine, Carrie McLaren interviews a head trainer for Helping Hands and combs through memoirs, financial reports, and a wide range of reportage to tell a tale never before told. Ape Sh*t also includes stories about a locksmith-turned-primate-sanctuary founder, the “organ grinder” monkeys that broke into New York apartments to steal gold watches, and a survey of the many ways capuchins have fought back against their captors.