Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 11, Part 1

SANCTUARY NEWS

We Are Thankful for our Supporters for their partnership in accomplishing wonderful things at Pacific Primate Sanctuary this year. We are so grateful that...

…New Rain gutters could be installed on the PPS extension to keep the rain out of the sleeping houses, thanks to our donors.  Carlos and Margarite (pictured right), and the other monkeys in the Extension, have dry warm beds to sleep in at night.

…Jungle Walkways were put in several of the enclosures.   Monkeys with mobility problems brought on by age or illness, are able to safely to maneuver in their outdoor habitats.  Artemis (pictured left) can now look up into the sunshine as she moves across her new Jungle Walkway.

…We created many special Celebrations for our primate friends, from Monkey Birthday parties to a Halloween Party, which included pumpkin, fresh popcorn and jack-o-lanterns!

…Thanks to PPS supporters, the monkeys will soon be getting new warm sleeping cubes and hammocks, which are being made of natural materials, designed especially for the marmosets and tamarins. They will be delivered just in time for the cold, wet winter months. 

….Our Resident Internship program has continued to develop and improve, and we have had the opportunity to work with some truly remarkable caregivers over the past year, including Mary, Linda and Annabel (pictured left). Although the Interns come here to learn, they each contribute to the Sanctuary in a unique way, improving and enriching PPS and enhancing the care we provide the monkeys. We are thankful for to our amazing Interns and to our donors for funding this mutually beneficial program!

….We have welcomed several new Volunteers, and have expanded our Volunteer Program to include Support Staff. These volunteers assist the animal caregivers during shift with a variety of projects.  This is a great opportunity for people who are unable to fulfill the requirements of an animal caregiver, but still want to volunteer their time. Support Staff help out by gardening, doing office and yard work, and maintenance projects. Repairs get done, the grounds are cared for, and the Sanctuary looks great and runs smoothly. 

…We have had the opportunity to provide the monkeys with a home free from exploitation for another year. It is such a blessing to be able to give the monkeys an environment where they can express their natural behaviors. The monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary live in outdoor enclosures, filled with lush jungle plants.  A tropical breeze blows through their homes each day, warm sunshine and soft raindrops grace their fur.  They use their nimble fingers to search for tiny insects hidden among the leaves, and lap up water that pools in the plants after the rain.  They lie in the sun, leap from branch to branch, scent mark their space to claim it as their own, groom one another, and fall asleep cuddled together. 

None of these accomplishments would be possible without the compassion and generosity of: our caring donors, our expert support network, extraordinary resident Interns, and helpful community of volunteers.

On behalf of the Beings with whom we share this Earth— thank you all for your lovingkindness!

Become a partner in Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s life-saving work—

WAYS YOU CAN HELP the MONKEYS

The Season of Giving

The Holiday season is upon us; it is a time of year to celebrate with friends and family- a time when joy, concern for others, and the spirit of generosity abound. Below are ways you can help Pacific Primate Sanctuary during this season of giving and goodwill.

Gift Contributions

Many of us do not enjoy the commercialism of the holiday buying binge and are searching for truly meaningful gifts.  We would like to offer a unique gift giving opportunity:

Gift Contributions can be made to Pacific Primate Sanctuary in the name of anyone on your holiday list. Your Gift Recipients will receive a beautiful Contribution Certificate showing you have made a donation in their name, along with information about PPS.  This thoughtful and significant gift helps to feed and care for threatened, endangered and distressed primates.  Please see the attached PPS Holiday Gift Contribution Form for details, or go to our website:

http://www.pacificprimate.org/help.htm

Donating to PPS can be as simple doing an Internet search!

Visit GoodSearch.com and designate Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your charity of choice and get started using this wonderful program.  Each time you do a search using GoodSearch, a small contribution will be made to PPS. 

GoodShop

Use GoodShop.com for all your holiday shopping. After designating Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your nonprofit of choice, you can shop at more than 900 top online retailers and a significant percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the Sanctuary! For example: if you shop on eBay using Goodshop.com, 25-35% of eBay revenue will be donated to PPS! GoodShop also provides many valuable coupons to use towards your purchases. When you select a store, you will automatically be redirected to a coupon page for that store. PLEASE use GoodShop this holiday season!

Thank You to everyone who is already using GoodSearch and GoodShop, we just received our yearly donation check in the mail!

Spread the Word

A valuable way for you to support the monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary is by sharing information about our refuge with others.  Pass this E-Newsletter on to your family and friends and encourage them to “Like” us on Facebook— http://www.facebook.com/PacificPrimateSanctuary

Volunteer Your Time

We always appreciate the help of local volunteers! PPS needs Animal Caregivers, Handy people, and Gardeners/Landscapers. Retirees are welcome. If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, by volunteering your time and skills, please e-mail us at pps@aloha.net

“Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood. But everyone has something to give.”— Barbara Bush  

PPS is seeking a volunteer administrative assistant with experience in office management, HR, secretarial work, fundraising, etc. PPS also needs a Volunteer Office Assistant to help with: Manual Updates, scanning documents, filing, and other general office duties.  We are looking for mature team players that would be willing to make a long-term commitment to the Sanctuary. Retirees are most welcome. Please e-mail the Sanctuary (pps@aloha.net) with your resume. 

Local residents only please.

Mobile Donations

Donating to Pacific Primate Sanctuary just got even easier with our new mobile giving page!  Click on the following link on your mobile device, and you can quickly and effortlessly make a contribution to our cause. https://www.paypal-donations.com/pp-charity/web.us/charity_m.jsp?id=41132

Fund a Special Project

Interested in donating to a specific aspect of our work?  Pacific Primate Sanctuary is currently raising money to fund our Internship Program, build more Jungle Walkways, purchase Sleeping Cubes and Hammocks, and we are always in need of general operations funds.

Our Wish List

You can contribute to the monkeys by donating much needed items, including:

-commercial power washer                                             -high quality microscope

- heavy-duty weed eater                                                 -gram staining supplies                                    

-gardening supplies & equipment                                    -sewing machine

-small handheld vacuum                                                      -construction tools

 Please contact us at pps@aloha.net if you have an item you wish to donate!

How to Donate Directly

We are an entirely volunteer effort; no one receives any financial compensation for this work. Every contribution, in any amount, is used to provide food, shelter, and medical care for the monkeys. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificwww.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!

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.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 11, Part 2

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS

Welcome to PPS Volunteer- Dan

Dan is spending his “vacation” on Maui volunteering at PPS, before heading to Vet School.  He first heard about the Sanctuary two years ago.  When he arrived on Maui, he wrote us saying: “I would love to help out at the sanctuary in any way. It was one of my biggest motivations towards the trip out here.”  Dan is now volunteering several days each week and has made himself available whenever and wherever needed. We are so grateful to have his skilled and willing help! He will always have the animals’ and caregivers’ ALOHA. 

Congratulations to PPS Volunteer Rachel for graduating from the AM Shift!

We look forward to providing training in Emergency Care Protocol and to helping you master critical care skills. Thank you for your dedication and selfless service to the monkeys!

Check out our new page on Great Nonprofits

Pacific Primate Sanctuary now has a page on the Great Nonprofits website with information about the Sanctuary, along with pictures and videos of the monkeys. Click on the link:

http://greatnonprofits.org/organizations/view/pacific-primate-sanctuary-inc

PPS INTERNSHIP

Intern Elise Reconnects with PPS

                                                                       

Following her Internship at the Sanctuary in 2006, Elise was accepted to Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Class of 2012, earning her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. She is going on to specialize in exotic animal pathology at U.C. Davis. Elise was very pleased to see all the additions and progress PPS has made over the past 6 years. She writes: “It was a great joy being back at the Sanctuary. The monkeys look so healthy and happy.” We are so pleased that the Internship at PPS had such a positive influence on Elise’s career path and wish her and her friend, Andrew, success in their studies of exotic animal medicine.  It will be of great benefit to the monkeys to have their input and veterinary support in the future. Thank you to our benefactors for making the PPS 

Intern program possible!

Welcoming our newest PPS Resident Intern, Edythe

Edie has spent the last several years at a large Zoo.  She spent a year volunteering as a primate keeper, and the last 2 years as a zookeeper with many different species, including raptors and various mammals. Her true passion lies in working with primates. Edie felt the need to leave the zoo (and a salaried position) when she learned about PPS and resonated deeply with our mission and methods. She is thrilled to be working as a volunteer in a Sanctuary setting- where the wellbeing of the animals is the primary concern.  Edie arrived on November 13^th, and is excelling in her animal care training. 

In her acceptance letter, she writes:

It is with great joy, honor and excitement that I accept the opportunity to join the Pacific Primate Sanctuary as a resident intern.  I look forward to learning about primate care in the sanctuary setting as well as continuing to learn about providing for the physiological and psychological needs of these incredibly social, intelligent and sensitive animals. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to dedicate my whole being to maximizing the quality of life for these rescued New World primates. I am eager to meet the Pacific Primate Sanctuary team and start contributing to the healing and care of the monkeys. This is an incredible opportunity, something I have always wanted, and I thank you for inviting me to be part of such a important mission, providing nurturing care and a quality life for these very special residents. 

Welcome Edie, we are proud and happy to have you on our Team!

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.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 11, Part 3

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Intern Mary- Special Topic

Community ecology. How do capuchins interact with their local communities and influence their environments?

Capuchins play several different roles within their environment. They act as predators, seed dispersers, pollinators, and prey for other species. As a predator the capuchin feeds mainly on insects. Capuchins spend a large portion of their time searching for insects and specialize in finding those that are typically hidden. Pulling the bark off of trees to uncover insects is one method capuchins use. They are also able to distinguish between branches full of insects and those without any just by tapping the branch and listening. If a branch is full of insects the capuchin will break it off the tree and bite it open to access the prey inside. They will also turn over stones and reach into holes to find prey.

Although insects are a more common prey for the capuchin it is not unusual for them to consume vertebrate prey such as lizards, birds, squirrels, and bats. Adult males do the majority of vertebrate prey hunting while adult females and juveniles are more frequently seen taking eggs and hatchlings. It is rare for capuchins to hunt cooperatively but cooperative hunting behavior, where monkeys work together to capture prey, has been seen among capuchins.

Capuchins regularly fall prey to carnivores such as jaguars, coyotes, pumas, snakes, and large raptors. To prevent predation capuchins take advantage of living in large groups, which allows for more protection. Alarm calling tells group members when a predator is present and being in large groups allows capuchins to mob predators. Mobbing is generally led by adult and subadult males who break large branches, dropping them on the predator, alarm call and make loud vocalizations discouraging the predator from approaching.

Pollination by capuchins occurs when the monkeys rub against pollen producing plants. Capuchins do not typically feed on flowers but will occasionally stick their face into a flower to obtain nectar. This action in turn ends up covering their fur with the pollen, which the capuchin may then transfer to other plants. Consuming fruit is very common for capuchins allowing them to act as seed dispersers. Small seeds are swallowed whole and typically pass through the capuchins digestive system intact allowing them to be dispersed in the feces. Large seeds are often picked out of a fruit and dropped by the monkeys. Foraging on the ground also allows for seed dispersal as capuchins sort through leaf litter spreading out seeds as they go.

Although Prospero and Miracle, the capuchins here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary, do not have to deal with the direct threat of predatory species they do engage in the other behaviors mentioned above. It is not unusual to see Prospero and Miracle chewing on branches or foraging through the plant matter on the floor of their enclosure to access insects and disperse seeds. Predatory behavior on vertebrates is not seen often by the capuchins here at PPS but the occasional lizard may be eaten. As fruit is a component of the capuchins daily diet it is very common for seeds to be dispersed throughout their enclosure.

Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press.

2010 Resident Intern Alli- Special Topic

Prior to coming to the Sanctuary, Intern Alli gained experience with marmosets by working as a caretaker in a laboratory. She then came to PPS as a resident Intern, Through the experience of working with the same species in opposing settings, Alli has a very unique perspective which she was able to share with us in the following, very moving, essay.

A Tale of Two Monkeys: Brenda and Charlotte

Intern Allison, Pacific Primate Sanctuary Intern 2010

Anyone who has walked the corridor at Pacific Primate Sanctuary has known and loved Brenda.  She is a 15-year-old female White tufted ear marmoset with a sweet demeanor, a love for the outdoors, and her devoted mate named Bruno (a once solitary male who she helped socialize). She is the oldest female monkey in the corridor, although her activity level would tell you otherwise, and she spends as much time outside with Bruno as possible.  As well as we all know Brenda here at PPS, many people don’t know that she was born “CJ0396” at a large, well-known national research facility in the Midwest.  Why she was lucky enough to be sent to Pacific Primate Sanctuary at 6 months old is unknown.  Up until January of 2009, she had lived a parallel, but completely opposite life to another female marmoset born in the same year at the same research facility. 

“CJ0130”, or Charlotte as her caregivers knew her, was nearly 15-years-old already when I first met her while working at the lab.  She stuck out like a sore thumb in a room of 20 marmosets because of her missing ear tuft, her calm manner, and her sweet face.  She was a favorite among the animal techs and vet staff alike because she had out-lived almost all of the monkeys born within 5 years of her.  She had been through countless studies, behavioral and invasive, and had managed to survive to old age. Grapes were her favorite fruit, since they were easy to juice with her uneven teeth, and I would often sneak her and her partner an extra grape at snack whenever I could.  And I was there that day in January when she was anesthetized and brought to the necropsy room to be euthanized because her weight had dropped below 300 grams.  It will remain a mystery how two monkeys born in the same year at the same national research facility could live out two completely different lives nearly 6,000 miles apart, however they didn’t have to be so different.  While an animal’s life in a research laboratory versus a sanctuary is fundamentally different because the purpose, goals, and objectives of the two institutions are diametrically opposed- an animal’s life in a lab can be greatly enhanced by making small changes in daily care.

In a Biomedical Research Facility, the main goal of colony management is to provide the ideal research subject to potential researchers. The mental health of the subject is not necessarily always a factor as long as they are physically “healthy”.  The more “healthy” subjects a facility can provide, the more researchers they will attract and therefore, the more money they can bring in.  It is for this reason that White tufted ear marmosets, at a large lab in the Midwest, are kept in small metal portables lining every room.  Within each portable are a metal carrier and two wooden dowels used as perches. Enrichment is given once a week in the form of treats hidden in plastic toys, frozen cubes, or cereal stuck in toilet paper rolls.  Because of the smaller size of the enclosures, adolescent monkeys are pulled from family groups in order to make room for newer siblings.  And finally, because a colony must be cared for as a whole using “herd health”, marmosets at this particular lab are euthanized when their weight drops below 300 grams.  These types of policies allow a research facility to operate with maximum output (more monkeys) with minimal cost (smaller housing, and little daily enrichment).  These facilities operate in this way because their definition of “humane” colony management is based on and serves their goals and financial objectives.

Charlotte’s life and death were a result of this distorted philosophy.  I remember about a month before Charlotte was euthanized I was sitting with the Associate Director of Veterinary Services, who was inquiring about my upcoming internship at PPS.  I told him how excited I was and I asked him if there was any way that I could take Charlotte with me, since she was no longer considered an ideal candidate for research.  He laughed the question off and said there was no way a monkey her age would ever manage the trip successfully.  A month later, I sat in an anteroom and watched as Charlotte went to sleep for the last time.  I couldn’t help but wonder, if Charlotte had made it to the sanctuary and only lived one day in a lush green enclosure, wouldn’t that have been better than bleeding out in the necropsy room of a research facility?  And more so, how would it have been a loss to the research facility?

In a sanctuary setting, like that at Pacific Primate Sanctuary, the main goal is rehabilitation and restoration of the monkeys’ birthright.  Monkeys are provided food, shelter, and enrichment by volunteers, but are otherwise “free” to do what monkeys should do.  They spend their days foraging in their jungle enclosures, grooming family members and partners, basking in the sunlight, and playing in their natural worlds.  Monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary always have access to browse or greenery in which to manipulate, tear, rip apart, and play with.  In fact an adolescent male was once observed using a large green leaf as a trampoline, bouncing from the leaf to a branch above.  Most importantly, monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary are given individualized care addressing each of the monkey’s needs. They are not euthanized when their weight drops.  In fact, there are a handful of White tufted ear marmosets (mostly females) at Pacific Primate Sanctuary who have lived almost their entire lives weighing less than 300 grams and are healthy and active- Brenda being one of them.

Brenda arrived at Pacific Primate Sanctuary on March 29, 1995 along with six other White tufted ear marmosets from the same research facility.  She adjusted extremely quickly to sanctuary living, having been sent at a young age. She was paired with Bruno, a lone male sent from a different research facility, who was un-socialized and didn’t share food well.  With Brenda’s patience and a caregiver’s gentle 3 month conditioning, Bruno soon became an ideal mate. (This time consuming endeavor might not be pursued in the laboratory and he would live a solitary existence.) While he is still enthusiastic about his food, he no longer hoards or monopolizes the food bowls.  He now loves to groom and play-wrestle with Brenda and they are rarely seen apart.  Brenda has had two serious health issues that have resulted in her having to be to be moved from her enclosure into the infirmary for intensive, personalized care.  This occurred once in December of 2004, when she was treated for a GI issue, and again this year when we found she had tooth infections.  Both times she was cared for until she was well again and returned to Bruno as good as new.  Even though she has lived almost her entire life weighing less than 300 grams, her weight is still monitored very closely and she is given extras (avocado, sweet potato, Nutrical, oatmeal, etc.) in her breakfast daily to keep her calorie intake high.  This type of specialized care is one of the main reasons she has lived such a long, high quality life.  If Brenda were living in a research laboratory, she would have been euthanized years ago.

Because of the fundamental differences between a biomedical research facility and a sanctuary, the lives of the monkeys housed in each could never be the same.  However, there can be vast improvements in the living situation of those housed in research facilities that could even be cost effective to the labs.  First, implementing weekly environmental enrichment in the form of natural greenery, in Hawaii we use Ti leaves, palm leaves, hibiscus flowers, etc., can elicit more natural behaviors and has also been found to be a way for the monkeys to relieve stress.  It can be difficult to understand just how enriching foliage can be until you’ve watched a monkey tear it apart/carry it around/manipulate it for the first time. The cost of this type of enrichment could be kept down by making a partnership with a university greenhouse. 

Another beneficial practice would be allowing the monkeys to live with their natural families for a longer period of time. While I recognize that there are limits to how many monkeys can live in a small laboratory enclosure at once, I have also seen first hand the benefit of allowing offspring to help rear their younger siblings.  The first set of marmoset babies born while I was at the research facility died within two days of each other because the mother had never reared infants before (siblings or her own).  Having experienced mothers and fathers would decrease the amount of infant mortality in a laboratory setting.

Finally, implementing a more tailored herd health practice (rather than just euthanizing all monkeys at a set weight) would allow for a more diverse and less homogeneous colony of primates.  Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney, President of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, established an alternative policy for a lab colony that catered more to each individual marmoset’s weight.  Extreme illness was defined as a monkey losing 15-20% of their adult body weight.  This way, monkeys who usually balance around 300 grams are not euthanized because they lost 10 grams (which would only be 3% of their adult body weight, but would make them eligible for euthanization at the Midwest lab.)  Another option would be sending those monkeys considered less ideal for experimentation  (i.e. under 300 grams) to sanctuaries where they can have more personalized care.  The research industry might also consider that euthanizing a monkey in a lab setting can be extremely costly. There is the cost of drugs to first sedate a primate, then the cost of the personnel to perform the necropsy and necropsy report, then the cost of blood tests and tissue tests (depending on why the monkey needed euthanasia), and finally the monkey must be properly disposed of. These are all costs that could be avoided if the euthanasia is deemed unnecessary in the first place.

It is my personal hope that one day primate research will be a thing of the past and will soon be considered an UNnecessary evil.  That day, unfortunately, is not today.  So instead we need to cooperatively work towards improving the lives of those still living in a world of metal bars and constant fear.  I am extremely thankful for each and every monkey that Pacific Primate Sanctuary has been able to save over the past 30 years, however, I am constantly thinking about the hundreds of thousands of primates still living compromised lives in biomedical research facilities across the world. 

We need to once again expand our philosophies, but this time to accommodate a species other than our own. In fact, Dr. Jane Goodall considers this the next step in human evolution.  She writes:

"If only we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion we shall stand at the threshold of a new era in human moral and spiritual evolution and realize, at last, our most unique quality: humanity."   

                                                                      

“If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.”

                                                — Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama

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 50 primates, many rescued from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form social groups, and live free from exploitation.

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.