A pensive face peered out of the transport cage as the blanket covering was lifted away. Charlie the snow monkey had no way of knowing where he was or why he was here. His cage was lifted down from the vehicle in front of the Sanctuary clinic and he was carried to his new enclosure. As the door was opened and he began to look around him, at his new surroundings, his new neighbors, and his new home – where he will be cared for by our expert team –Charlie took his first steps into his new life.
Inside the clinic, another little face peered out as the blanket covering his transport cage was lifted. Chongo the little rhesus macaque vocalized to one of his caregivers as he came round from his anesthetic. He had been brought into the clinic earlier that day as he had been showing signs of illness. Chongo suffers from an array of medical issues and so, since he arrived at the Sanctuary in 2012, he has often required round-the-clock care and complex medical interventions to keep him healthy. In the last few months alone, Chongo had overcome a debilitating period of seizures, thought to be caused by epilepsy. He is the very definition of “a little trooper.”
There is a tendency to believe that, once an animal is rescued and brought to a sanctuary, that they have then get their “happily ever after” and that, from that day forward, they live free from fear, harm, and distress. While it is the very foundation of our work here at Born Free USA to strive to make this true for all of our residents, emotional and physical scars do not go away overnight. Some scars are carried for a lifetime.
Abnormal, obsessive behaviors – known as stereotypies – signal to us that a monkey is struggling to overcome past trauma. Monkeys come to us overweight, underweight, or even diabetic as a result of poor nutrition. Ill health, resulting partly from being weaned too young, being fed the wrong diet, and not being provided proper veterinary care in their early years, can cause lifetime problems. Rather than a happy ending, arrival at the Sanctuary is perhaps better considered to be the first step on a journey of recovery. Thanks to people like you, our team is able to work to support every monkey on their individual journey; doing all we can to help them thrive in their new lives. We see stereotypies diminish, weight stabilize, and health improve as monkeys are given proper care and the chance to live with others of their own kind. Life improves. Life can be good. But, we cannot forget that these animals should be free.
Sanctuaries are perhaps one of the very few entities with staff that would love to be put out of work. We love the animals under our care and will always do our utmost to give them the best life possible. But, we also see, first-hand, the fallout from the dangerous and cruel trade in these animals as pets and other forms of exploitation. While those dealing in the lives of these animals profit, it is the monkeys who pay the price. And, that price is high.
As Charlie spent his first night in his new enclosure and his journey of recovery began, Chongo left us. His little body finally succumbed and he passed peacefully in his sleep. Chongo, our beloved little trooper, is gone and we are heartbroken.
Despite the grief of losing a dear friend, our team must continue to provide for Charlie and the other 531 individuals who are still on their journeys and still need us. We will do everything in our power to give Charlie the best life we can, just as we did all we could to help Chongo. But, until the trade ends, there will be countless more Charlies and countless more Chongos; innocent, frightened, and often sick monkeys who have been denied the opportunity to live life in freedom. Here at Born Free USA, we work to bring an end to the keeping of primates as pets, as well as providing lifetime care for the trade’s victims. And, in this, we need your support.
In Chongo’s memory, and on behalf of Charlie and our other residents on their journey to recovery, thank you for all that you do. Together, we can bring about a day when all monkeys are wild and free, just as they should be.
There are many ways that you can take an active part in helping us to deliver the highest standard of care to our sanctuary residents and to help us in the campaign to bring an end to the primate pet trade. In doing so, you are helping to ensure that other monkeys do not suffer as Charlie and Chongo have.
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Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Dr. Liz Tyson
PS: We would like to say a special thank you to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, for their role in Charlie’s rescue. They provided this background:
This snow macaque was rescued by Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (WRR) on May 3rd after he was confiscated in South Texas. His “owner” wanted him put to death but local law enforcement chose to send him to a sanctuary. WRR took him in and cared for him but, having no other snow monkeys, felt it was in his best interest to be with his own species so arrangements were eventually made to send him to Born Free USA.
