Everything you need to know about Chimp Crazy
In this four-part documentary series, Chimp Crazy delves into the world of Tonia Haddix, the self-proclaimed ‘Dolly Parton of Chimps’ whose love of pink is only matched by her love of primates.
She spends her days caring for animals in captivity, but has a particular bond with adult male chimp, Tonka, who she will do anything to protect. When the authorities threaten to take Tonka away from Tonia, she triggers a wild cat-and-mouse chase.
Speaking to a host of people who have owned chimps as pets, Chimp Crazy focuses on why people become so attached to these baby-like pets, and how having these highly-intelligent, but at times volatile, pets in their home affects both their family and the animal’s welfare.
The series is produced and directed by Eric Goode, whose previous work includes Netflix smash-hit Tiger King.
Who is Tonia Haddix?
Tonia Rene Haddix is a Missouri native who worked as a registered nurse before becoming an exotic animal broker.
She has been married at least twice – first to truck driver Gary Dean Haddix, who died in December 2020, and Jerry Aswegan, who she tied the knot with in 2021.
Aswegan ran a mobile petting zoo business, which aided in her love of wild animals.
Tonia is also a mother of two (human) children, son Justin and daughter Erica, from a previous relationship, though she notes in the first episode that the bond she has with her monkeys is an even deeper kind of love.
She took over ownership of the Missouri Primate Foundation from Connie Casey in 2018, where she met Tonka, falling in love with the ape and forming a motherly bond with him.
The foundation had come under fire from PETA in 2017, prior to Tonia taking over, for its reported unsanitary and restrictive living conditions for their animals.
Tonia and PETA had reached an agreement that would have allowed her to keep three of the seven animals if she met certain conditions, which she failed to do.
In 2021, federal agents came to take the animals, at which point Tonia claimed Tonka had died and had been cremated.
In actuality, she had taken him and had him hidden in the basement of her home so she didn’t have to hand him over.
When the hunt for Tonka got more intense, she attempted to have Tonka euthanised so he would “die peacefully with people that love him”, but the filming team intervened, alerting PETA to what was going on.
Despite losing Tonka, Tonia still looks after exotic animals at her home in Sunrise Beach, giving monkeys “their forever homes”.
Together with Aswegan, she runs family zoo, Sunrise Beach Safari.
What happened to Tonka the chimp?
Tonka, born in 1991, is a chimpanzee who, prior to meeting Tonia, had a Hollywood career after being taken from his mother prematurely to work in the entertainment industry.
Among his credits, he appeared in 1997 movie Buddy alongside actor Alan Cumming, and George Of The Jungle alongside Brendan Fraser.
Cumming appears in Chimp Crazy, having offered a $10,000 reward for Tonka’s return after he went missing.
He later said in a statement: “When I met Tonka while filming the movie Buddy, I made a true friend, and I was honoured that he thought of me as a fellow chimp.”
After Tonka was finally found in the basement of Tonia’s home, he was moved to Save the Chimp's sanctuary in Florida in June 2022.
He is still alive, and now in his 30s. Save The Chimps say Tonka has a kind and confident spirit.
Cumming said of the development: “I’m dancing a jig that PETA has rescued Tonka from the woman who locked him away alone in a basement and lied about it. The thought of Tonka being able to wander free and happy at Save the Chimps’ lush, spacious sanctuary for the rest of his life has me singing a happy song.”
How can I watch Chimp Crazy?
Chimp Crazy will premiere October 6th at 9pm on Sky Documentaries.
The series will also be available to watch as a box set on Sky and NOW.
