Orangutans receive daily aromatherapy treatments

[matcom]

<snip>

DENVER (AP) -- The Denver Zoo's four orangutans are smelling pretty good these days -- they're getting daily aromatherapy treatments.

That means the 20-year-old ape Mias gets chamomile on his right ear, basil and angelica on his nose, and fennel, eucalyptus and frankincense on his forehead.

Keepers says the treatment has helped alleviate symptoms from allergies and an upset stomach.

In Allie's case, the 8-year-old primate became depressed when her mother died two years ago. She stopped acting like the silly adolescent she was before her mother's death, but that changed when she started receiving daily aromatherapy.

"When you see how goofy they are, this is how it should be," keeper Rhonda Pietsch said as Allie played in her cage after an oil treatment.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2003/12/03/orangutans_receive_daily_aromatherapy_treatments/

[VelmaD]

1. So basically...

instead of letting that poor orangutan mourn for her mother they drugged her up. Sounds like what they do to humans. :eyes:

[supernova]

2. Yes, two years for your mom

that's not an unusual mourning period for the primary parent and sometimes it's much longer.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. An eight year old orang is still...

VERY young and unable to be physically and emotionally on her own. It is not uncommon for them to die after losing a parent at such a young age.

I would rather they "drug her up" (which is not really what aromatherapy is about) than possibly lose her.