Who's baffled?

Image source unknown. Travis looks overweight for a chimpanzee. :(

Travis the Chimpanzee:

1. Travis was fed "steak, lobster and ice cream". A chimpanzee's natural diet: Fruits, insects, sometimes plant matter, with occasional forays into the carnivorous realm.

2. "He brushed his teeth with a Water Pik, logged on to a computer to look at photos and channel-surfed television with the remote control."
He also could "dress" himself, drink wine, and use the toilet. He was taught to do these things by humans; these are not things he would attempt to do without human coercion. Chimpanzee natural behavior: Running around in the forest, climbing trees, protecting territory, mating, socializing with other chimps.

3. Travis was given Xanax, a human medication known to cause aggression. "Police said that Travis was agitated earlier Monday and that Herold had given him the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in some tea. Police said the drug had not been prescribed for the 14-year-old chimp." "Xanax could have made him worse," if human studies are any indication, said Dr. Emil Coccaro."

4. Travis had Lyme disease, which probably did not put him in a good mood. "...a tick-borne illness with flu-like symptoms that can lead to arthritis and meningitis in humans."

5. Travis was kept in a large cage inside of a house. Chimpanzee's natural habitat: Forest, away from humans.

6. According to this article, Travis had "previously run away and obstinately refused to [be] lured back", indicating that he was dissatisfied with his captivity.

7. Chimps are very territorial and will kill other chimps. It's likely that Travis saw himself as another "human" or else saw humans as "chimps". He probably recognized his owner as being primarily "his", and could quite conceivably have seen his owner's friend as a rival.

8. Chimpanzees have been known to attack humans, not just in captivity but also roaming in Uganda.

So why is anyone "baffled" by this attack? Horrified, sickened, and saddened, yes... but surprised? The most surprising aspect of this is that anyone would be so bold (see: stupid) as to think they could keep a primate as a household pet, and even to go so far (see: narcissism) as to treat the primate as a human and convince it to "act" like one.