Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 8, Part 2

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Building the New PPS Extension

PPS Volunteers Move Plants into the Extension

The building stage of the PPS Extension is complete, and Steven has hooked up the power and water. Each enclosure has been filled with plants, branches, hammocks and nest boxes by a wonderful team of vounteers! We have moved 6 monkeys into their new enclosures, and they are really enjoying their new home. It was so wonderful to see them exploring the plants and branches, and experiencing the sun and wind. Unfortunately, many of the enclosures will need to have work done on the door closures before we can move in the rest of the monkeys. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who helped make this possible. We had a great crew of volunteers all working together to outfit the new enclosures, and it was amazing to see the positive spirit and teamwork that went into the process.




We Need Your Help!

Raising funds is becoming critically important with the huge increase in expenditures! The new extension, monthly utility bills, and facility maintenance are putting extreme financial pressure on the Sanctuary’s limited resources. Every contribution counts and is greatly appreciated.


Rescue Fund

A Rescue Fund will allow us to provide refuge for at risk animals needing to be brought to the Sanctuary immediately. Laboratories and pet owners often have deadlines for placement and may not contribute to the costs involved in getting the animal to Pacific Primate Sanctuary or provide for their housing and care. Your contributions will allow us to reach out to these monkeys and bring them to our safe haven.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to:


Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708


Or donate on our website, www.pacificprimate.org using PayPal.
Thank you for joining us in this life-saving work!

PPS PEOPLE in the SPOTLIGHT

Farewell Volunteer Torsten
Torsten has been volunteering at Pacific Primate Sanctuary for the last year. He has recently graduated from High School, and will soon be heading off to college. Torsten has been a wonderful addition to the Sanctuary, and will be greatly missed. We hope he will continue to volunteer at the Sanctuary during his Winter and Summer breaks from college… and beyond.

Torsten writes:
"The Year of The Monkeys"

During the summer of 2009, I pondered about what new activity would stimulate my satiated mind in the absence of schooling. Then I remembered my older sister's encouraging response to discovering the Pacific Primate Sanctuary website and how incredible it would be to work with the animals. What began as an augmentation to cure summer boredom, evolved and flourished into a life changing experience.


The moment I first walked through the doors of the facility, I became aware that this place demanded a lot of respect. It almost discouraged me at first to be overwhelmed with the responsibility that was about to be placed in my hands. Being held accountable for 70 intelligent primates was pretty daunting, yet exciting at the same time. It took a little while to balance these polar emotions. Through the completion of several shifts under the very helpful and expert guidance of the interns Ali and Robin, however, I developed my confidence as a fully functional volunteer.


…I was able to take a step back and really observe the primates with an understanding of their unique situation, which humbled me…. Their behavior is so much like our own that it forced me to empathize with them more so than other animals. I'll never forget the first time Viola grasped my hand; it gave me chills down my back. Then I soon realized that this (Sanctuary living) really is the only way for their lives to be preserved safely, especially considering their background in laboratories and private ownership…

Torsten's Hanuman T-Shirt Design

Knowing all this, I decided that I should contribute more to the sanctuary than just giving my time. Being a senior student at King Kekaulike High School, I was required to complete a senior project which included a research paper, product, and presentation all on a chosen topic. My work at the Pacific Primate Sanctuary provided the perfect foundation to build off of. I chose non-human primate testing as my research paper and presentation topic, and the sale of my original "Monkey T-shirts" as my product. Through my efforts I was able to raise $100 to donate to the sanctuary. The sanctuary essentially gave me all the necessary tools and information to complete that project and graduate from high school successfully.

I have gained so much knowledge and appreciation for these animals’ behavior, physiology, and psyche that I would never have acquired by reading some textbook. The Sanctuary is not only a safe haven for primates; it is a place where memories, friends, and experience are gained. The gratification one gets through working with the animals and helping to perpetuate their lives is worth it in of its self. I can think of nothing that would have been as rewarding as volunteering my time at the Pacific Primate Sanctuary this last year, and I look forward to helping out in the future in anyway I can.



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