Jack the monkey short of primates as Pirates of the Caribbean makers duck questions in wake of attack

Poor old Pirates star Jack the capuchin monkey was yesterday disowned by everyone from his employer to his landlord after he attacked a woman on Tuesday.

NOT my monkey — not my circus.

Poor old Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales star Jack the capuchin monkey was yesterday disowned by everyone from his employer to his landlord after he attacked a woman on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Paramedics were called to the Village Roadshow Studios just after midday on Tuesday after the monkey leapt from its trainer on to the woman’s back and bit her on the ear.

The woman, 54, works in the make-up department of children’s TV series Mako Mermaids.

ARRR, EVEN THE MOST INFAMOUS PIRATES HAVE DEPP AFFECTION FOR FANS

PIRATES STAR GOES BANANAS, BITES MERMAIDS WOMAN

Mako Mermaids producer Jonathan M. Shiff during filming on location
at Broadwater Parklands. Picture: Regi Varghese

Mako Mermaids producer Jonathan M. Shiff said the woman was discharged from Allamanda Private Hospital yesterday after doctors gave her the “all-clear”.

“She’s fine,” he said.

“She’s returned home and she’ll be back on normal duties at work on Friday.”

Village Roadshow Studios, the producers of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the team behind children’s TV series Mako Mermaids, the Federal Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity Queensland “passed the primate” yesterday in the wake of Jack’s attack.

Mr Shiff said the incident occurred during a break for lunch during filming for Mako Mermaids at the Oxenford studio complex.

Asked how the Pirates 5 simian cast member was exposed to the Mako Mermaids’ worker, Mr Shiff replied:

“You’ll have to ask Pirates 5 for the other side.”

A spokesman for Pirates 5 referred inquiries to Mako Mermaids.

“Nothing to add except that yes, we are filming today as per schedule,” he said.

“All I can tell you in response was that the monkey was not on the Mako set.”

A spokesman for Workplace Health and Safety Queensland said yesterday it would launch an investigation into the incident.

Ambulance officers treat a monkey bite victim at Village Roadshow
Studios on the Gold Coast. Picture: Seven News

The producers of Pirates 5 brought two sterile capuchin monkeys — a male and a female — to Australia to work on the latest film in the multi-billion dollar franchise.

The exotic monkeys, a category 1 declared pest in Queensland in the same class as crazy ants and rattlesnakes, were granted a permit to enter the State after serving a mandatory quarantine period.

The monkeys are believed to be Chiquita (a female) and Pablo (a male), both of which played Jack the Monkey in Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End.

Chiquita also reprised the role of Jack in On Stranger Tides.

The Federal Department of Agriculture inspected a purpose-built quarantine unit at Village Roadshow Studios where the monkeys served out their stint in isolation.

The character Jack the Monkey, from the Pirates of the Carribean films.

The monkeys are supposed to remain in the unit throughout filming under 24-hour supervision until they are flown in steel mesh crates to Port Douglas later this month (July) for the film’s last week of principal photography.

PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange yesterday claimed she warned Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer about the dangers of using a real-life capuchin monkey in the film.

“We wrote to Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer earlier this year (and told him) these intelligent, highly social animals are notoriously high-strung and become easily stressed on set or

location,” she said.

“Bright lights, a lack of all that is natural to them, loud noises, and interactions with people — something monkeys in the wild shy away from — can cause them to lash out in frustration and

self-protection.”

Village Roadshow Studios yesterday declined to comment on animal enclosures and protocols around the handling of animals on the studio lot.

A spokesman for the Federal Department of Agriculture, which assisted with the permit process to allow the monkeys to enter the country after it received an import application in December last year, referred all inquiries to Biosecurity Queensland.

Pirates star Geoffrey Rush and Jack the Monkey at the world premiere
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End at Disneyland in Anaheim,
California, in 2007. Picture: E. Charbonneau for Disney Pictures.

The State Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said Biosecurity Queensland was told of the incident on Tuesday and contacted the owners of the monkey to ensure the relevant risk assessments and safety procedures were upheld.

STUNT WORKER HURT ON PIRATES SET

“Biosecurity Queensland continues to liaise with the facility on the matter and to identify appropriate measures to be put in place to mitigate the potential for similar incidents in the future,” it said in a statement yesterday.

“The permit holder is ultimately responsible for meeting their permit requirements.

“Issues relating to workplace, health and safety at the organisation, animal behavioural monitoring and/or measures being taken to rehabilitate the animal for display purposes should be directed to the permit holder.”

Pirates star Martin Klebba posted photos to Twitter of himself with a
capuchin monkey from the film with the message 'Ello Jack! #monkey
#monkeylove #Pirates #piratesofthecaribbean #mates

A State Department of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesman said the Pirates 5 production company — Mukiri Productions — was “responsible for all risk assessment procedures and for ensuring workplace, health and safety procedures are followed”.

“Measures being undertaken to mitigate future incidents should be directed to the company,” the spokesman said.

Mukiri Productions declined to comment.