Niv, a four-year-old female black macaque, “adopted” a chick recently at the Zoological Center of Tel Aviv (popularly known as the Ramat Gan Safari). The video of the monkey and the chicken has captured the hearts of many around the world.
According to Safari officials, Niv had tried before to bring the chick into her enclosure but zoo staff separated them because they feared for the chick’s safety. However, the chick apparently liked her monkey mom and came back to Niv on her own two days later.
“This time we could see clearly that Niv was walking around with him, hugging him, and every time she was a little far away from him, the chick not only didn’t try to get out of the yard but came closer to Niv,” zookeepers posted on Facebook.
“The chick can leave the yard at any moment, but chooses to stay with her inside.”
When something frightens the chick, Niv runs to soothe and protect her. If Niv senses that the other macaques are bothering her chick, she picks him up.
Every night, Niv takes her chick into her little house and comes out with him in the morning, grooms him like a good monkey mother and carries him around. Niv even feeds the chick from her own portion of food, just as if he were her actual son.
“Such a brave love story is not seen every day, even in the safari,” the zookeepers comment.