The Ghosts of Cañaote

Some time ago I wrote to you about the 'Ghosts of Cañaote'. These were monkeys that should have arrived but never did. For example, I had many calls from a family who had a female monkey with only one leg. They had allowed the family dog to savage her and she lost a leg. Finally the family went silent and we have heard no more. There was a male adult in Valencia, who had been seized by the military. We had correspondence from a rescue group that was concerned about him but eventually we heard no more. He has become one of the ‘Ghosts of Cañaote’. Now we have had correspondence from a team of rescuers who saved Willi from poor conditions. We have heard no more. He too has become a Ghost.
At Cañaote we do not release Howler monkeys into the wild but we do give them large secure, clean homes and good appropriate food. Above all we give them respect and love and the company of other monkeys. We try to pair them so that where possible they can procreate. Monkeys need the company of other monkeys. Imprisoned in relatively small cages, they will pace up and down or swing backwards and forwards interminably. Their mental health will be impaired. We have seen it so often.
Our picture was sent to us by Willi's rescuers