Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 7, Part 3

PPS INTERNSHIP

Farewell to Intern Robin:

Intern Robin has completed her 2 year internship, and will be greatly missed. Robin cared for the monkeys with such unparalleled competence, shared her knowledge and wisdom with all of the caregivers, and trained many volunteers and Interns. We would like to thank her for being our Head Animal Caregiver, for her proficiency and expertise in managing primate pairing, housing, and especially for her devotion and deep love for the monkeys. She has been such an asset to the Sanctuary and leaves a great legacy!

Robin helped to create the Intern Manual and shared with us her amazing observational skills. Robin had the ability to pick up on the slightest changes in a monkey’s behavior and appearance and has saved the lives of many monkeys who were in need of prompt medical attention. She shared this skill with Dana, Mary Catherine, and all of the volunteers so that future caretakers will carry on this wonderful gift. We will miss her handiness, and ability to think up solutions to technical difficulties and fix things. Robin has been a remarkable addition to the Sanctuary and, fortunately, she plans to stay on Maui, and intends to continue volunteering as a caregiver at Pacific Primate Sanctuary.


Intern Robin’s Wrap Up: “… this is the Sanctuary that the USDA inspector visits to feel good about the world again!

I can't even begin to explain what a wonderful experience the past two years have been for me at PPS. I feel so blessed to have been able to do something I truly love, and am so grateful to have been given the opportunity… I'd like to thank the people who have been a part of my life here. I wish I had the space to thank each volunteer!
I have learned something from each one of you, and I feel privileged to have known and worked with such selfless, good-hearted people…

I can't… describe in words how amazing these monkeys are, but I'd like to say a little bit about what I've learned from them. Fruit snacks are heavenly, and Nutrical is too… I learned how to tie a zip tie with one hand, and how to give meds out with one hand and treats with the other. I was reminded about the fact that each animal in the world is a distinct personality, and should be treated just the same as human beings. It's obvious when you look in their face that there is emotion behind those eyes, and it's tragic that this fact is overlooked in so many circumstances…


I'd like to share some of my favorite moments here. My all time best moment was when I realized that the monkeys were ignoring me.
I could go through morning walkthrough, and instead of moving from where they were to display, they just went about their business as if I wasn't even there, even the tamarins! I am so grateful to have gained the trust of these amazing animals to the point where I can calm them down just with the sound of my voice.


Another favorite moment was getting to see Fern and Xy go outside and see the sun for the first time. I'll never forget the first rain they had, where Xy was outside hanging upside down from the mesh just feeling the rain on her face. And being able to witness Pacey's amazing rehabilitation has been an eye-opening experience. He has gone from a super anxious monkey who is fixated on people to having a crush on another monkey! These are the kinds of things that make sanctuaries like this so important: giving monkeys who have been in bad circumstances, through no fault of their own, the chance to be real monkeys. I am forever grateful to have been able to be a part of it, and am comforted by the fact that these monkeys will continue to be well taken care of. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my life here, and I can't thank the monkeys enough for just being them. I will miss seeing them every day and hearing their calls in the morning. I will miss getting a little "hello" chirp when I pass by. But these monkeys have made such an impression on me, and I know I will always carry each and every one of them with me.”

New Interns:

Two New Interns will be arriving in Late July! We’ve had several very qualified Intern applicants over the last few months. The Board has selected two excellent candidates. Cheryl is coming to Maui from England and Lisa will be traveling from Texas. Cheryl has a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Animal Studies and has worked rehabilitating Vervet monkeys in South Africa. Lisa has a B.S. in Biology and has worked with 52 exotic big cats in a sanctuary environment, provided care for a variety of birds at the Dallas Zoo, and assisted with avian rehabilitation at the Texas State Aquarium. She writes about her acceptance as a PPS Intern: “You never know when the opportunity of a lifetime will appear, but I’m so thankful it did.” We are very thankful too and excited to welcome our two exceptional new Interns!

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic- Intern Dana:


Ryland’s Marmosets and Tamarins, Systematics, Behavior and Ecology


Chapter 5: Comparative Aspects of the Social Suppression of Reproduction in Female Marmosets and Tamarins

Marmosets and Tamarins have a unique adaptation when it comes to reproduction: only one female breeds in any single social group. This reproductive specialization is one of the most studied topics about the Callitrichidae. The dominant female in each group is the only breeding female, and she actively maintains her dominance to ensure that she can continue having offspring. There are a few theories about how social suppression of ovulation works for different species:

Common Marmoset (C. jacchus)
•Dominant female only active breeding female
•Suppressed ovulation in other females is due to suppressed gonadotrophin secretion from the anterior pituitary gland - this means that pheromones given off from the dominant female are probably what inhibits the ovulation of other females in her group.
•Single females removed from the dominant female ovulated 10-11 days after separation. If they remained in scent contact, this ovulation was delayed to 31-32 days.

Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)
•Similar to Common Marmoset
•Only 50% females had suppressed ovulation
•Cycles returned immediately following removal from dominant and placement alone.
•Conception occurred on 2nd cycle following removal from dominant female and placement with male.

Saddle-back Tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis)
•Suppression of ovarian cycles was also found in subordinate daughter saddlebacks.
•There haven’t been as many studies regarding saddleback ovulation suppression, but pheromones are the most likely cause.

In summary, there are three likely advantages for the extreme suppression of reproduction among subordinate female callitrichid monkeys. The first is that subordinate females may benefit from putting off the departure from their social group because of various difficulties; it is hard to establish a separate breeding group in a different location that contains enough resources, and it can be even more difficult to try and establish dominancy within an already formed social group. The second cause has to do with the communal rearing system used by callitrichids to raise the offspring of the breeding female. The dominant female requires help from non-breeding monkeys to rear her offspring, thus maximizing the chances of the babies surviving. Therefore, “helper” females cannot breed during the same time, because they will probably not be able to compete against the dominant female for the necessary ‘helpers’ to raise her own offspring. Lastly, the young non-breeding females need to gain experience in the infant caretaking so that they may eventually be successful mothers.

-Rylands, A. B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 74 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

“Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” — Albert Einstein

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