Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 5, Part 2

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Spider Monkey Enclosures

Montana contentedly eating breakfast in his new home!

The Spider Monkey enclosures are all set up and ready for Carlos and Montana. Montana has already been moved and is happily exploring his new space!

Montana entered the carrier easily and we were able to relocate him to the new enclosure in a stress-free way. Carlos has been more wary of the carrier, and we are still working with him on entering so we can move him in with his brother.

2009-2010 PPS Intern Alli recently wrote to us:
I was just thinking about Pacific Primate Sanctuary because I was watching Discovery Channel and they had a show where they were re-locating 25 Capuchin monkeys from a closing sanctuary to a primate sanctuary in Florida. The way they were capturing the monkeys just broke my heart. The monkeys were screaming while being chased into cages and netted and were so afraid of all the people and nets and suits that one of the mother monkeys actually rejected her baby after. It made me think of the stark contrast to how you... have dealt with having to move Carlos and Montana and how patient and loving you are toward them. I really appreciate the way PPS is run and the fact that everything is there for the monkeys … I know these people's hearts were in the right place but I just wish they knew that there was a kinder way….

Volunteers
We would like to welcome our two newest volunteers, Charlene and Laurie! Charlene has joined us for the Tuesday and Thursday a.m. shift, as well as the Saturday p.m. shift, becoming a very committed and appreciated Sanctuary volunteer! She has worked with a variety of animals including horses, guinea pigs, cockatiels and turtles but this is her first time working with primates. She is eager to learn and extremely helpful and industrious. Laurie is now volunteering for the Wednesday a.m. shift. She has volunteered in the past with a local farm sanctuary. She is very compassionate and excited to be at PPS.

We would like to congratulate Volunteer Katie on graduating from her Emergency Care training, and becoming a fully trained Animal Caregiver Volunteer!

HELPING THE MONKEYS

Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Family
Director, Lucy, spends every day in the office recruiting new Interns, finding financial support, responding to countless e-mails and always offering advice and guidance. Operations manager, Erin Marie, provides her invaluable support at the Sanctuary, in the office, working with the veterinarian, and picking up food and supplies in town.
Sanctuary Interns, Olivia and Simon and extern Mary Catherine, give devoted care to all of the animals each day, maintain their home, and contribute their insights and ideas towards improving the Sanctuary. PPS Volunteers: PPS V.P. Dr. Bud, Charlene, Judi, Anne and Morgan, Jonathan, Katie and Laurie make time each week to keep all of the monkeys cared for, and the enclosures and the facility kept clean, pruned and outfitted.

Steven builds the monkeys’ homes and makes repairs and improvements to their enclosures! He, and new volunteer Nick, have created 20 protective wire grates for the outdoor Green Rooms.

PPS Treasurer, Linda, does the monthly bookkeeping prepares our taxes, and drafts the yearly PPS Budget. Jennifer, the Secretary on our Board of Directors, writes up minutes for each Board Meeting. Dr. Dressler and Dr. Delaney, provide their expertise, advice, feedback, and veterinary care to the monkeys.

The PPS Family keeps the Sanctuary functioning. Because of their contributions we can continue to offer threatened primates a place of peace and healing. They exemplify compassion, generosity, and that rare quality of selfless service, which shines a light— dispelling a great darkness. They are doing the work of Angels!

If you are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please E-mail us at PPS@aloha.net

Joani, Visiting the new

 Spider Monkey Enclosure

The donors and friends of Pacific Primate Sanctuary make generous contributions towards the construction of new enclosures, funding the internship program, and subsidizing the feeding and care of over 70 primates. Generosity and compassion are the stuff miracles are made of; please become one of the Sanctuary’s Miracle Workers.


How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS RESIDENCY

Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Residency program is a unique immersion experience. During the first portion of the Internship, new trainees learn to provide daily care to the 73 monkeys at the Sanctuary. This includes preparing diets, administering daily medications, providing enrichment and maintaining the enclosures as well as the Sanctuary facility.
Once an intern has successfully grasped this information, he/she moves on to the next phase: Emergency Care training. Interns learn to provide special individual care to monkeys in need. During this time an Intern really begins to hone their observational skills, learning the individual monkeys in order to be able to tell when one is not feeling well. Interns are trained in how to handle emergency situations; administering subcutaneous fluids, using an incubator, wound care, checking vital signals and calculating drug dosages. Our newest Intern, Olivia, who arrived in March, has recently completed her Emergency Care Training and is well on her way to becoming a fully trained Resident Intern!

The third training module involves Sanctuary management. PPS Interns learn the skills necessary for Colony management (pairing new monkeys, movements within the corridor, etc). Knowing each individual monkey is vital to this aspect of the Internship. Interns also train and oversee other volunteers, create and update protocol documents and keep detailed records of all the primates at the Sanctuary.

Simon and Mary Catherine work 

together to set up an enclosure

Once an Intern has become proficient in all these areas, they are awarded Primate Animal Caregiver status by senior staff. We would like to congratulate Intern Simon on completing his training, and becoming our newest Primary Animal Caregiver! However, the learning process never truly ends and Simon is now deepening in his role as an Intern at PPS. This is happening at just the right time, as our current Primary Animal Caregiver, Extern Mary Catherine, will be completing her externship in June. Over the next month, Mary Catherine will focus on passing down all the information and wisdom she has gained during the last year to Interns Simon and Olivia. This will ensure that, while Mary Catherine may not be here physically, she will always be present for the monkeys and the PPS caregivers in the documents she created and the knowledge she will leave behind.

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