a primate blog

Hi, I'm Amy and I'm working towards a career as a primate keeper.

[panthoots]

Musings on Macaques

The long stay primate facility at Primadomus is home to two types of macaque, the Asian pig-tailed macaque, and the north African Barbary macaque. One thing the two species have in common is big attitudes!

Primadomus actually houses two species of pig-tails as well as a hybrid of the two. Once classified as two subspecies of the same species, the northern and southern varieties are now recognised as distinct. Despite this distinction, hybridisation has occurred in the wild as well as captivity. Classified as Vulnerable, pig-tails are threatened by habitat loss, with their numbers decreasing in many parts of their range. 

Glenn, at 30 years old, has surpassed the life expectancy for his species, and it shows! At Primadomus, caring for elderly individuals includes regular veterinary check-ups, and medications for chronic ailments. He may be long in the tooth, but Glenn is a sprightly little chap!

The most dominant animal in Primadomus’ group of four pig-tails is Lazaros, now thirty years old, and the joint eldest macaque in the section. Stichting AAP rescued him from the pet trade, which had landed him in a small bird cage. Lazaros has a significant limp and very much looks the picture of an old man, but demands respect from his groupmates. Getting a photo of this wonderful macaque is a challenge; he will threaten me whenever he realises I’m watching him. Obviously, the last thing I want is to bother him, so I move on. One day, I hope to capture a bit of his charm on camera. Rounding out the group are fellow elder, Glenn, the feisty Calimero, and the lowest-ranking, Glenn’s handsome son, Ino.

Lovely Ino. I will admit to have taken quite a shine to him! 

The pig-tails are a settled group, and rarely seem to squabble. They all respect Lazaros and know their place in the hierarchy.

Calimero

The Barbary macaques, in contrast, are very busy monkeys, and spats do flare up. There are two groups on the section, one led by the majestic Fugitive, and another led by inexperienced alpha, Troy.

Fugitive

Troy

Barbary macaques are famed as the monkeys living on the Rock of Gibraltar, but they naturally hail from northern Africa.Their proximity to Europe has made them a target for the wildlife smuggling trade, and they are now classified as Endangered. Young Juma, who was found wandering alone in Paris, is a great example of the scale of the problem. These monkeys are beautiful, intelligent, and they do look cuddly, but make no mistake, they feisty animals with big teeth-and should NEVER be pets, for their own good and ours. As with the pig-tails, habitat loss is a huge threat.

Xipo, showing just one of the reasons why a pet macaque is a very bad idea.

Barbary macaques are highly social, and have a strict hierarchy. Life can be rough, but they also enjoy play with one another. They are tough monkeys, used to living at high altitudes exposed to the elements. While many of the primates at Primadomus enjoy indoor comforts, many of the Barbary macaques will choose to forgo the indoors in favour of braving the outdoors day and night. I love their strong personalities, but always have to be aware of safety precautions (this is true of all the primates) as they are most definitely dangerous animals.

Port is the lowest ranking monkey in Troy’s group. It’s tough being at the bottom, and he must often hold back, lest he offend the higher ranking macaques. I’m rather found of Port, who’s fuzzy face reminds me a bit of a Muppet.

Though I came to Primadomus primarily for the chimpanzees, getting to know the amazing macaques that call the long-stay primate facility home has been a huge joy and a privilege. 

Young Juma playfully bats his friend, Soho, over the head.

Nokando, another of Juma’s playmates.

[panthoots]

Hola from Villena

Hi there, I’m reporting from Spain at the end of my first week at AAP Primadomus, a rescue centre and sanctuary to exotic animals rescued from the pet ad entertainment trades. Many of the animals have endured horrific conditions, and are still learning the ropes of socialising with their own kind. Most of these animals will in time be ‘outplaced’ to reputable facilities, once their rehabilitation is complete, thus opening up more space for the AAP team to continue their important work. Some animals, though, will be longterm or even permanent residents at Primadomus, and those include the primates I am lucky enough to be working with now. The centre is located a short drive from the town of Villena, in the midst of the beautiful Sierra de Salinas. 

Barbary macaque, Juma, who was found alone on the French streets, far from the species’ Northern African homeland. He now lives with four other macaques, including his good friend Soho.

There are two main animal care departments at Primadomus; Primates, and Big Cats. I’m working in the Primate Department, which is further split into three sections; long-term care (for permanent or semi-permanent residents), Barbary macaque re-socialisation, and quarantine. I’m working in long-term primate care for the next six months, a section known here as Modules A and B. This area is presently home to nine chimpanzees, nine Barbary macaques, four pig-tailed macaques, and eighteen marmosets. There are a lot of new faces for me to get to know! 

On my first day, I went through all the paperwork that goes with starting a new job- and a new job that involves working alongside potentially dangerous animals. The centre has a strict ‘hands-off’ policy, which protects the health and safety of staff, volunteers, and the animals we work for, as well as preventing interference to their social development. Having been through the administration side of things, I was shown to the flat where I’d be staying with some of the other volunteers, located in the heart of Villena and close to any shops I might need. 

In the beginning, I was introduced to a whole lot of new information- layouts of two primate buildings, the make-up of the groups of apes and monkeys that inhabit said buildings, the cleaning, hygiene, and feeding procedures, and a lot of names to remember. Under the guidance of experienced caregivers Debbie and Sergio, I began working; cleaning the indoor enclosures in the mornings, making and offering enrichment to keep the primates busy and mentally active, and cleaning the outdoor enclosures in the afternoons. Feeding in Module A & B is interesting, as different methods are required for different times of the day, and different groups of animals. For example, the group of pig-tailed macaques, headed up by the elderly Lazaros, know that the sharp sound of a whistle means that feeding is beginning, while one of the groups of Barbary macaques, led by Troy, listen out instead for a shaker. If it is too cold out- and it is very cold in the mornings- the primates may receive food indoors rather than out. 

Old man Bingo enjoying a papier mache ball... inside, he will find chickpeas.

As the week went on, I have gained the hang of the daily routine, and am being trained and entrusted with greater responsibility. I am now learning how to check all the fences of the outdoor enclosures, and am tasked with the very important job of locking and double-checking doors and hatches. When working with animals as strong and intelligent as these, security is paramount, so it is a responsibility to be taken very seriously. So far, I’ve been working with the chimpanzees and macaques, but will also be trained to care for the marmosets in the weeks to come.

Barbary macaques in the mist... It is very cold in the mornings here, but come the afternoon, the sun is almost shining and the animals will be out enjoying it. The Barbary macaques, compared to the other primates in the section, are very hardy, and never seem at all bothered by a bit of cold weather.

Two animals whom I’ve become particularly enamoured with are Bingo and Antoine, two older male chimpanzees. Antoine has had a difficult life, spending many years standing in his own filth in a dark basement. Meeting other chimpanzees was a huge challenge for him, as his social experience was close to nil. After several years of failures, AAP finally found the perfect friend for Antoine, another old chap, by the name of Bingo. Finally content as a pair, the two were moved from AAP Almere to Primadomus where they could retire in the Spanish sunshine. Though like all chimpanzees they have their squabbles, they have a very close friendship and will spend much of their time grooming one another, sitting in their favourite spot in the sun. Stories like theirs serve as an important reminder; chimpanzees may seem like cute playthings when they are young, but they will suffer decades of struggle as a result of our trying to turn them into something they’re not. They are not pets, they are complex, powerful and intelligent social animals that deserve to be respected as such.

Antoine, who to my eye is one of the most handsome chimpanzees I’ve yet encountered.

Thank you for tuning in to my first blog post. In the future, I will share more photos of the animals I am so lucky to be assisting in the care of.

[panthoots]

I’ve always loved Gombe’s swagger. So much attitude!

[panthoots]

‘Auntie’ Galatea having a blast with young Zuri

[panthoots]

The Monarto Zoo chimpanzee group, 2017. It is a great privilege to watch and photograph these guys.

Top-bottom, L-R:

Tsotsi, Sandali

Gombe, Boyd,

Zombi, Galatea

Zuri, Enzi

[panthoots]

Yikes, better blow some cobwebs off this blog! So, here are a few photos of the Monarto gang, and a brief update on my long slog towards a career working with primates. :) Please feel free to get in contact- I love meeting people with similar goals and interests!

What I’ve been doing...

First big news, I finished my degree! I now have hanging on my wall a Bachelor of Science (Biodiversity and Conservation). During one of the summer breaks, I spent three months as an intern at Chimps Inc., a sanctuary in Oregon. Travelling to America and working with seven amazing chimpanzees was a high very high point in my life so far. 

Since then, I’ve been working on my Certificate III in Captive Animals through Open Colleges, which has included three awesome weeks shadowing keepers on all rounds at Monarto Zoo. And yes, I continue to visit and photographs the zoos chimpanzees whenever I can. I’ve had some difficulties with depression and anxiety in the past two years, but I’ve turned some corners and feel like things are getting better.

What I’ll be doing next...

 I’ll be doing the practical component of the certificate course at Banana Cabana Primate Sanctuary in Sydney this August, and hopefully complement it with weekly volunteering at Minton Farm Animal Rescue Centre. It would be good to have the course finished by the end of the year.

I have applied to spend six months from November volunteering at AAP Primadomus, the Spanish branch of Stichting AAP which provides long term or permanent care to primates and big cats in need. Should I be fortunate enough to be accepted, I will be working with chimpanzees, macaques, lions, tigers, and various other primate and cat species.

Aside from that, I’m going to keep on applying for jobs, and travelling to do work to boost up my resume. 

[houndtroglodytes]

COBBY: The dark side of cute by Donna McRae and Michael Vale

A documentary about Cobby, the oldest male chimpanzee living in an accredited zoo in the USA.

The cruelty behind the ‘cute’ performing chimpanzees, seen so often in the entertainment industry, is something many people are unaware of. Please support this documentary; this is a message that simply NEEDS to get out there.

[panthoots]

Big, tough alpha male Tsotsi enjoying playtime with two-year-old Zuri.

Monarto Zoo, South Australia

[houndtroglodytes]

Happy birthday Herbie!

Prior to finding a home at Chimps Inc., Herbie was taken from his mother so he could perform, and later be kept as a ‘pet’ in appalling conditions. It is often very difficult for chimpanzees who have been so humanised to adjust to life with other chimps (if they are even lucky enough to be given that opportunity!), but Herbie now has a chimpanzee family thanks to the wonderful, caring people at the sanctuary.

Learn more about Herbie here: http://www.chimps-inc.org/portfolio/herbie/

[pandaaamonium14]

[panthxra]

Not cute. Interspecies interaction between a wild cat and an animal of a different species would never happen at a responsible zoo (except cheetahs and dogs—the dogs are used to keep the cheetahs calm as they are naturally anxious animals). Only shitty, exploitative zoos that are looking for a little publicity pull crap like this, and they should never be supported. As cubs, they can still inflict nasty scratches or bites and diseases can be passed from one animal to the other, so they are kept apart. When the animals get older, big cats are too dangerous to keep with other species, so they are kept apart. Really at no point in a big cat’s life should they be in contact with other species—especially ones that wouldn’t stand a chance against an animal such as a tiger. Don’t support facilities that do this; it’s not cute.

Look at the 3+ cubs stuffed into that cage in the back. How does that even look ok to people? Or do people just not care, and only pay attention to the “cute” chimp bottle feeding a tiger cub…

I believe this is at T.I.G.E.R.S. You can learn more about that facility in the tag I have for them.

[sdzoo]

Talk to the feet hands.

[thejunglenook]

Source: Kwan trains for blood draws at Lincoln Park Zoo

Operant conditioning can lead to a lot of amazing things… but getting animals to voluntarily participate in their own care is my absolute favourite. 

[houndtroglodytes]

I’ve written a blog post for Chimps Inc. about lovely Patti!

http://www.chimps-inc.org/pattis-cheery-day/

[panthoots]

I'm slightly besotted with Patti, she's absolutely gorgeous. <3

[panthoots]

White-cheeked gibbon infant, Tien, hanging on tight to mum, Viet. 

Adelaide Zoo

[panthoots]

Beautiful Puspa, born at Perth Zoo in 1975 to Puan and Atjeh. According to Leif Cocks' book 'Orangutans and their Battle for Survival', she is one of the tallest orangutans on record. Puspa is very much an elegant lady. :)

[nationalgeo]

[onedaydoctorkay]

Family Time at Gombe by Anup Shah and Fiona Rogers

“The oldest chimp in Gombe and undisputed matriarch of the S family, Sparrow, a 56-year-old female (second from the right, looking up) and two generations of offspring enjoy a tight-knit grooming session. ‘Sparrow is a tough old bird,” observes Carson Murray, who followed her for several seasons. “She raises strong, competent daughters,’ Murray says, ‘but her sons are mama’s boys.’" (source)

[panthoots]

Monarto Zoo Chimpanzees

Top to bottom: Sandali, Galatea, Tsotsi, Boyd, Gombe, Zombi, Soona, Zuri