Consumption of animals does not necessarily equal lack of care. Just ask free-range farmers or a 4-H kid raising a cow.
And I am sure Mark would have loved to take the monkey with him. But I am sure his hands were tied. It is after all a Machigenga reservation and a country with various wildlife regulations. Mark did the right thing. He couldnt' take it with him, and leaving it by itself in the jungle would surely not survive. Leaving it with his friends was best.
Considering primates frequently become more aggressive as they age, even if he had taken her with it is doubtful he could have kept her for her entire life. Also, an animal suited for the tropics probably would not stay healthy in the much colder climate of Britain. Still very sad though.
i dvr'ed all of the episodes. i absolutely love theses guys! i have to admit that i absolutely balled when mark left gianna. i was really hoping that he could take her back and keep her w/him till the time she would have to go to a zoo, but even then he could see her all the time. even with the weather of britain they have zoos and its not all european weather animals. they have special places for animals like her. i loved watching this manly man who has a gentle heart, but was so worried about his future and kids that he saw himself(w help from the worlds strongest lsd)chasing after little ones, that included little monkey face. being a parent to her, i think will make him be a better father to his own children when he has them. the decision to leave her had to be heart breaking for him. it was for me and i am only watching. im going to miss that sweet little girl! the webcast show where he put her in tree to go fishing and she got down and found him far away was so sweet!those monkey hate water but she was willing to do whatever it took to get to her "daddy". sorry im going on about her, but she is absolutely loveable and i really hope that mark can go back and see her someday and im sure she will remember him no matter how big she gets. love both of you so very much....and monkey face
Mark or someone from the travel channel, please respond. I as most people who watched the show was totally moved by Jana and her attachment to Mark. I was in tears. I went to sabetilodge.com to see how Jana was but was unable to post my question to them. I also fear that she will be be eaten one day especially because she may be more trusting towards human beings.
I cried too when Mark left his baby girl, but leaving her there was the right thing to do. I'm assuming that's what he did. Those kinds of animals don't make good pets in a nation or culture that can't allow them to run free in the trees.
I, like so many viewers, have been deeply moved by the relationship formed between Mark Anstice and the beautiful Gianna the monkey. We would love to see that Gianna is well cared for even after Mark and Olly's departure. Perhaps a little post show update on Gianna? I am sure many viewers would tune in to watch of what became Gianna. She has truly capture many of our hearts.
There are two types of animals...contributory and/or companion. Primates are companion animals. Seems the tribe is devouring a companion entity and fearing a contributory one (deer). The practice is so out of balance, perhaps that is why all of us related when Mark had to leave Gianna....innately we recognize when there is an imbalance such as this.
I was sooo upset when Mark had to leave Gianna. He should have gotten to some kind of civilization with her and contacted the local animal rescue or preservation. At least he would have been sure that she would NEVER be eaten or abused. Who's to say when the tribe is going through a famine that she's not going to be on the menu? Why leave such a trusting "little person" as Mark called her in the hands of people where she's the main dish on the menu? Mark what were you thinking?!
People need to stop imposing their ideas of morals on others. The Machigenga have been around for over 4,000 years. Who are you to say them eating monkeys and shunning the consumption of deer is backwards? Also if they did eat Gianna, which would be unfortunate and sad, that does not constitute animal abuse as they are doing it for survival.
Also, non-human primates become aggressive as they hit their biological "teen" years, when they hit this time they have a huge flood of hormones like the human primate. But with a monkey or non-human ape, they are often stronger than a human and they do not communicate the way we do, so they often will attack a human. You have to remember, cuteness != domestication.
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