A Norwegian man in his 40s with a criminal record has admitted to throwing bottles filled with amphetamine-laced drinks into the chimpanzee enclosure at the zoo in Kristiansand. Norway’s legendary chimp named Julius knew how to open the bottles, and the results were frightening.
“He (the suspect) said that he’d been thinking for awhile that he wanted to throw some ‘speed’ to the apes, and see what happens,” Håkon Storesund of the Agder Police District told state broadcaster NRK on Friday. Storesund said the man had taken amphetamines himself on the day he tossed the narcotics in to Julius during one of Norway’s winter holiday weeks in February.
He was arrested on Thursday and charged with violations of Norway’s animal protection laws. The chimp Julius, who was born at the zoo nearly 40 years ago, became psychotic and started biting his arm, resulting in serious injury.
The defendant has apologized to zoo authorities at Dyreparken in Kristiansand, who have banned him from entering the park in the future. The case is now being sent to local prosecutors who will evaluate further measures against the defendant.
newsinenglish.no staff
