Belgian zoo bans woman over 'affair' with chimp

Adie Timmermans likened her relationship with Chita to an "affair". Photo / ATV

A Belgian woman has been banned from her local zoo after officials became concerned about her close relationship with one of their chimpanzees.

Adie Timmermans claims she has been warned by Antwerp Zoo not to visit Chita, a 38-year-old male chimpanzee.

Timmermans told local news station ATV that she had been visiting Chita every week for four years and was distraught by the decision.

"I love that animal, and he loves me," she said.

Timmermans claimed that their "real relationship" was similar to "having an affair".

"I haven't got anything else. Why do they want to take this away from me? Other dozens of visitors are allowed to make contact with Chita, but why not me?"

Timmermans' visits consist of her sitting on the other side of the thin glass wall of Chita's enclosure, where the pair make kissing faces at each other.

The zoo denies that it has banned her but says that Chita's relationship with Timmermans is causing him to be snubbed by other chimps.

"An animal that is too focused on humans is less respected by its peers," spokeswoman Sarah Lafaut also told ATV.

Adie Timmermans likened her relationship with Chita to an "affair". Photo / ATV

"When Chita is constantly surrounded by visitors, the other animals ignore him and don't consider him part of the group," she said.

She said that when visitors go home, Chita sits alone and waits for the gates to reopen.

A spokesperson told the Independent newspaper that they had not banned Timmermans from visiting Chita.

"Every visitor can still visit and see Chita if they want, included Mrs Timmermans," a spokesperson said.

"We only asked her to change her behaviour if Chita is near and she tries to catch his attention or the other way around.

"Chita has to focus on the other chimpanzees as much as possible, he has to be part of the group for his own wellbeing."