Even after his ‘retirement’, Henk Westland remains friends with the Java monkeys

The story goes that Henk’s predecessor left with blood spurting from his neck. A Javanese monkey sank its sharp incisors into his flesh. “Actually, I don't even know exactly what happened to that man. In any case, he didn’t come back.” A representative from Utrecht University then appeared on the doorstep of Henk's family home in Scherpenzeel, asking if he’d like to become an animal keeper. It was 1976, and he was 16 years old.

Henk’s mother had been telling everyone that her son was good with animals. Henk kept snakes at home and read every animal encyclopedia he could get his hands on. Animals provided a safe haven for a gay boy in a deeply Christian environment. Looking back, he would have liked to do something with music and perhaps even study it, but he didn’t feel there was room for that at the time. So, he chose the path of an animal caretaker studying to get a diploma as a biotechnician alongside his work.

“After that incident with my predecessor, I thought to myself: 'That’s how dangerous those monkeys are'. The males have razor-sharp fangs.” On his guard, Henk set to work and got to know the monkeys better and better. They got to know him, too. Henk made it pretty clear that he was the boss. “In everyday life, I’m as soft as butter. I cry at the drop of a hat. But, with those monkeys, I had to take a different approach, as you can imagine.”

Henk Westland when he was 16. Photo: courtesy of Henk Westland

‘The research into Java monkeys has really achieved a great deal’

A year later, a professor approached him. At the time, there were five monkey colonies at what was then still known as De Uithof, with 30 to 60 monkeys per colony, and nobody knew what the dynamics within the groups were like. As a 17-year-old, Henk was tasked with mapping this out. There was a list to start with, but nothing else.

Fortunately, Henk had already observed the groups closely during his first year. “I had to work out how the colonies were organised. Which one was the alpha family? Who was the alpha male? Who was the alpha female? I was very good at that, so I managed to do it. I’d read a lot about the monkeys. When the males are about four years old, they’re thrown out of the group, so you’re left with a group consisting mainly of females and daughters. They often stayed together and looked alike. I spotted similarities, and it suddenly clicked. That’s how I slowly pieced the puzzle together, until I had the whole picture.”

Scientists then set to work on behavioural research. For example, the monkeys had to perform certain tasks, such as clicking on identical images on a screen. “That research on Javanese monkeys really accomplished a great deal. At first, people thought that monkeys didn’t have a theory of mind; the ability to attribute feelings, thoughts and intentions to oneself and to others. Subsequently, the consensus was that only chimpanzees possessed this ability. Now, we know that Javanese macaques have it too.”

This acquisition of knowledge is one of the things that makes Henk’s work worthwhile. He had to make some sacrifices, though: he’s been bitten several times. "See this scar in my arm? You could see the bone sticking out. The strange thing was, it didn’t hurt much at all, because their teeth are so sharp. They cut through your arm like a razor.”

Photo: courtesy of Henk Westland

‘Whatever the circumstances, I have always given it my all’

No two days were the same at this job, especially considering animal rights activists occasionally made a stir by setting the monkeys free. “I’d have to run after them again…” Sometimes, the freed monkeys wreaked havoc, such as the day an entire colony destroyed a nearby care home or when they wrecked the furnishings of a school. “Once, two colonies came together after being released, and they killed each other. I don’t think those activists fully realised what the consequences of their actions could be.”

Come what may, Henk never thought of giving up. “I found this world far too fascinating,” he says. After all, he was in his element. Henk is described as a modest man, but he also knows he’s good at his job – perhaps even the best. “I can tell straight away what an animal needs, and I was given the freedom to put my ideas into practice. At first, the enclosures were very bare, but I gave them something to play with, and the monkeys loved it. The group immediately became calmer.”

His experience of the job only changed in 2008, when the university decided to transfer the monkeys to the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in Rijswijk. They had to move because the animal housing on campus was due for renovation, but UU found it inefficient to renovate the monkey enclosure. Henk could have gone with the monkeys to Rijswijk, but that would have meant starting afresh on a temporary contract. At the age of 49, he felt that was too great a risk. He did, however, continue to teach the monkeys, so he travelled to Rijswijk a few times a year.

Henk is appointed to the fish research team in Utrecht, which studied zebrafish. It was a significant blow. Henk missed the monkeys and did not feel understood or appreciated in his new team. Work, which had been routine for years, suddenly became a heavy burden. It remained so until five years ago, when the team atmosphere improved for Henk, and work consequently became more enjoyable. “Whatever the circumstances, I always put my heart and soul into my work, and I’m very grateful to the university for the career I've had there, the good terms of employment and the personal development I’ve undergone.”

Photo: courtesy of Henk Westland

‘I heard people saying I was indispensable’

At his own request, his official farewell took place in early June at the Dom Church, a place he is closely involved with as a professional singer (Baroque and Renaissance). “I was really dreading it. All those people... But it was actually a lot of fun.” Many people expressed their appreciation for his work and shared lovely anecdotes, such as when Henk took his bull terrier to university with him, much to the monkeys’ horror; or when the alpha male "VIP" made smacking noises to show how much he liked Henk. A Mexican researcher explained that he’s on the lookout for people with Henk's profile: dedicated, disciplined, with a keen eye for animal welfare, and who thinks along with the researchers.

Henk is receiving the Culture of Care Lifetime Achievement Award for his work at the university, which will now also be presented to others. One of the people present at Henk's farewell said that the award should be named "the Henk Westland Prize". Henk: “I didn’t expect much from the farewell, but there were sixty guests and moving speeches. Some people even got quite emotional. I heard people say I was indispensable. I really hadn’t realised that. I always thought: 'I’m just doing my job as it should be done.' Yes, it was quite touching.”

‘In that respect, I’ve also grown a lot as a person at university’

Henk lives a lovely life in the countryside, near Tienhoven, with his Chihuahua, Kobus. He is a painter and sings a lot. He still runs the monkey course in Rijswijk a few times a year. Henk teaches about monkey behaviour and how to observe, record and present findings. “It’s far too much fun to give up.” However, the student body has certainly changed.

He tells students about a group of monkeys in which there’s friction among the dominant females. “They bite and grab each other and throw each other into the pond, which shocks the students. They actually think we should ‘discipline’ the monkeys, whereas that side of things is also present in females, who are the glue that holds their society together. That’s how they interact to build social bonds and reduce tensions.”

When he talks about the monkeys' sexuality, the students are taken aback. “Some are baffled when I explain that males also mount one another, with the one being mounted holding a higher status. Well, that really shocks them.” Many students study monkeys so they can go abroad to conduct research on them. “I show them all sides of the subject; it’s not just all romance. It’s a lot of fun to keep doing this and stay in touch with students. That’s another thing I’ve learnt in my career: dealing with people – students, colleagues – as well as dealing with monkeys. Growing up in a sheltered environment, I didn't pick up any social skills at home, such as communicating and cracking jokes. In that respect, I’ve also grown a great deal as a person at university.”

Therefore, Henk's 50-year career is not coming to an end just yet, especially considering that the welfare of monkeys is becoming increasingly prominent. A few times a year, the monkeys in Rijswijk will still look up briefly when the sometimes stern man, who has dedicated his entire career to their care and welfare, walks in.