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America's 'loneliest chimpanzee' smokes cigarettes, drinks Coke, according to lawsuit

By Ben Hooper
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BATON ROUGE, La., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- An animal protection group's lawsuit alleges that a Louisiana theme park's chimpanzee is isolated and neglected and spends her days smoking cigarettes given to her by park visitors and drinking Coke.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund announced it is suing the Dixie Landin' theme park and its owner, Sam Hayes, for violating the Endangered Species Act by keeping the chimpanzee isolated and neglected.

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The advocacy group describes Candy as "the country's loneliest chimpanzee" and alleges she "subsists in a virtually barren concrete cage, where she passes her time staring into space, drinking Coca-Cola, and smoking cigarettes thrown to her by patrons."

The group alleges Candy has suffered physical and psychological harm as a result of her living conditions at the park.

"This is a landmark case for animal protection," Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells said. "Chimpanzees don't deserve to suffer in punishing isolation, and we will see that justice is served."

The lawsuit quotes famed primatologist Jane Goodall as opposing Candy's continued isolation from others of her species.

"I strongly recommend that [Candy] be introduced to other chimpanzees in a setting more suitable to her psychological enhancement," the suit quotes Goodall as saying.

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The group is seeking to have Candy relocated to the Chimp Haven sanctuary in Louisiana.

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