Nicolas the alcoholic monkey is a symbol for animal abuse in Chile

Escaping the clutches of alcoholism is never easy, and it certainly wasn't for Nicolas, who had to go on anti-depressants to cope with the withdrawal symptoms.

But thanks to the timely help of a Chilean treatment centre, he has finally been able to get back to what he does best: being a monkey.

Nicolas, a tufted capuchin monkey, was abused in captivity by his owners - shopkeepers in the Chilean capital Santiago.

They amused themselves by teaching him to smoke cigarettes and giving him alcohol.

"They liked to see his reactions when he drank. He became more aggressive, and that made them laugh," said veterinarian Nicole Rivera Helbig.

Nicolas, whose owners had his fangs removed, was made to drink so often he became addicted. Today the small brown monkey, who gets camera-shy when journalists film him, is one of about 150 illegally trafficked animals recovering from various forms of abuse at the Primate Rehabilitation Centre in Penaflor, on the outskirts of Santiago.