Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 4, Part 1

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Carlos and Montana

Carlos and Montana surveying 

heir new surroundings

Pacific Primate Sanctuary welcomed two new residents last month. Carlos and Montana are Black Handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) These two brothers have a very close bond, and spend much of their time sitting together, often wrapping their arms (and tails!) around each other.

After the Capuchin monkeys moved to the new PPS facility in 2000, we left the 2 round enclosures standing. Lucy was holding the space open for Carlos and Montana to come here. It has been a long road for the two brothers: born at the Honolulu Zoo, then transferred to the now defunct Maui Zoo, then moved to the tourist attraction where they were on public display, next door to the restaurant, for 16 long years.                                  

Carlos has a home at PPS

PPS Volunteers spent time working with Carlos and Montana to habituate them with a traveling crate. They were soon comfortable entering the crate, which made the transition smooth and less stressful for the two Spider Monkeys.

We held their hands and sang to them in their travelling crate and they closed their tired eyes.  They were safely transferred to Pacific Primate Sanctuary on Sunday March 7, 2010.

PPS welcomes Montana

The two boys were unsure of their new environment at first, but have now settled comfortably into their new home. They really seem to enjoy the many branches and ropes in their enclosure. They have been swinging with great agility from branch to rope— back and forth across their new habitat. They are temporarily living in the round enclosure at Lucy and Steven’s until we can create a larger enclosure for them up at the Sanctuary.

We are designing a 40-foot long enclosure where they will eventually be able to brachiate, moving hand over hand through the greenery, for the first time.
We are very excited to welcome them to Pacific Primate Sanctuary! Now they can finally live in a place of peace and loving-kindness.

NOTABLE NEWS

Fern and Xylophone warm under

their heat lamp

This last month has been rather windy and rainy, but the monkeys have been staying warm under their heat lamps! The marmosets and tamarins have been huddled together, basking in the warmth, on top of their soft sleeping houses on many mornings. The sunny days are greatly appreciated as well. A family of Cotton Top Tamarins, (Adam, Nadine, Jason and Ira) have been grooming out in the sun while hanging upside down from their mesh ceiling. Prospero and Miracle, two Capuchin Monkeys, were seen quietly grooming in the sun as well. Martine and Simon have been using the sunny days for bug hunting. One day they suspended themselves on the lowest ginger branches, leaning forward and searching for bugs from this great perch.

Happily, we were able to pair two lone monkeys this month! Leonardo had been living with his brother Sebastian until last month, when we realized that these two boys were ready for female companions. Sebastian was paired with Allegra last month, and the two really seem to be enjoying one another’s company. Leonardo has now moved in with Allegra’s sister Dyna. The pair is getting along wonderfully so far! We have seen them grooming each other, and spending lots of time together outdoors.

PPS Volunteer, Jessica, gathering 

fresh flowers for the monkeys

The volunteers have been giving the monkeys some great enrichment this month. Each week fresh Ti and palm leaves, and fresh flowers are provided for the monkeys currently living in portables. Armando, a Cotton Top Tamarin, really likes getting his weekly browse and loves to shred it all apart! The monkeys were especially thrilled when they received special Ti leaf packages. We take Ti leaves, and stuff treats in the middle, then roll them up like a present. A second Ti leaf is then wrapped around the first, like wrapping paper. The monkeys have to unwrap their presents to get to the delicious snack inside.






MEET MORE MONKEYS

Gaia, a Saddleback Tamarin, examines a yellow ginger flower. This flower has a sweet nectar-filled tube in the center. The monkeys love to eat this special treat.

Deidre, a Black-tufted Ear Marmoset, clings to a branch in her outdoor enclosure.


This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.