Rhesus macaques Mrs. Wilkin and Anna have arrived at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary! Mrs. Wilkin is estimated to be in her twenties and Anna is likely to be around ten or in her early teens. Our major concern before their arrival, following the receipt of health records and radiographs, was the health of Mrs. Wilkin. Radiographs had shown that every long bone in her body was deformed and she was suffering from severe arthritis, which would cause her considerable pain. The bone deformity is likely the result of Mrs. Wilkin being taken from her mother at far too young an age – probably before she was weaned – and being subsequently fed an inadequate diet. Not only that, but she is unable to close her jaw fully, which we suspect may be due to an old break or fracture which did not heal properly. With all of these ailments, we imagined Mrs. Wilkin to be a frail little monkey with limited mobility.
To our surprise, when the pair arrived, it quickly became apparent that neither her age nor her physical challenges will slow Mrs. Wilkin down! As we moved her and Anna from their transport crates to the temporary enclosures in which they would spend their first night at the sanctuary, Mrs. Wilkin let us know just who is boss. As soon as she saw food, she began making loud, impatient noises for us to serve her. When we were not quick enough, she upturned her water bowl and glared defiantly at us. Once she settled down to eat, she devoured each morsel of food at great speed, while making satisfied grunting noises. Mrs. Wilkin had arrived indeed!
Anna, on the other hand, was nervous and looked to her older friend for a lead. She ate no less enthusiastically but would not look at us directly and positioned herself in her temporary enclosure as physically close to Mrs. Wilkin as she could. Anna shows signs of stereotypic behaviors and will sit with the thumb of her back foot in her ear and appear to stare off into space. While this behavior may look cute, or even comical, these types of behaviors are often signals of chronic stress in captive wild animals. Despite the indications that Anna was stressed, we were pleased to see that she otherwise appeared physically healthy, if a little on the slim side.
Since that day, the pair have settled in beautifully. They were moved into their large enclosure the day following their arrival, once our vet had been able to check on them and give them the all clear. Mrs. Wilkin wasted no time in exploring and spent much of her day stomping around, chattering away to her new neighbors, Connie and Taz, moving between her indoor and outdoor enclosure and climbing on her platforms. Anna could often be found close behind or alongside her friend, not wanting to stray too far from the familiar. At feeding times, the pair ate heartily and well. Mrs. Wilkin, the more dominant of the two, would make a beeline for the citrus fruit, and Anna would go straight for the peanuts in their dinner bowl. They began to spend time laying on their platforms in the sun and grooming one another – a sign that they are feeling more at home.
Now, their past life as exhibits in a roadside zoo are behind them and their new life at the sanctuary, in the company of others of their own kind, stretches out before them. We are hoping to introduce them to other monkeys in the near future to allow them to build their social group and we will be monitoring Mrs. Wilkin’s health to ensure that she continues to thrive. In time, we hope to see a reduction in Anna’s stereotypic behaviors as she begins to feel safe and secure in her new home.
I look forward to updating you on their progress – thank you for your support. Without you, our work caring for monkeys like Mrs. Wilkin and Anna simply wouldn’t be possible.
For the Monkeys,
Liz
P.S. You can support Mrs. Wilkin and Anna by making a donation! Your gift, of any size, will provide food, medical care, enrichment, and more!
