What is 'Zoonotic'?

Sussy is sixteen years old and MonaLisa is just five. Sussy came to us from Gabriela in Manrique during August 2003 and MonaLisa arrived with her owner in October the same year. You will notice from the two very recent photographs that Sussy’s coat is much lighter than MonaLisa’s. But that is not the only difference, Sussy’s human mother visits her at least once a month, bringing with her loads of Sussy’s favorite nibbles but MonaLisa’s owner, just visited the once, just to get rid of her. Her name on arrival was Mona, the Spanish word for female monkey. How thoughtful, how caring! They are the longest stay monkeys that we have here at Canaote. All the previous inhabitants were gradually released into the wild.
In 2002 we changed our policy. We decided that we would be a shelter rather than a release point. Formerly our monkeys were allowed to roam freely in the forest and when ready would join other local groups in the area. They were fed twice a day by us and slept on the upper floor of our house which is open plan and without windows. Basically, they could come and go as they wished, choosing their own moment for release. Now when walking in the forest we frequently encounter old friends. They are completely integrated into the forest and show no sign of recognition. In 2002 we had some discussion with a number of veterinary authorities. We became aware of the danger both to the monkeys and to humans of the release program. All our children have lived in close proximity to humans, most of them sharing living accommodation with their human owners. They were just like human children around the house. Very few of them were restricted in cages. That was not all they shared. They also were subject to influenza and other diseases that humans contract. Influenza in a monkey can be very serious. It has been substantiated that it can cause brain damage in monkeys. The problems do not end there. Monkeys are able to contract the whole spectrum of bacterial and virus infections. Releasing monkeys into the wild can be disastrous for the wild colonies. They have no resistance to human ailments. There is another little researched aspect to this problem, viruses can modify and return to attack the human community through pets captured in the wild. These are known as retrovirus and are part of the zoonotic cross species viral problem. Mad cow disease, AIDs and Chicken Flu are all examples of this danger.
We give our residents the closest to a natural life as we can. All their enclosures are large and contain several fully grown trees. We provide fresh leaves from the forest frequently. Their sleeping and eating areas are kept clean and insect free. We have staff who have no other duties and have that most important quality, LOVE.

For those who would like to know more about Zoonotic diseases, I have found http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/ a most informative tutorial and very comprehensive.

Sussy, one year on.

One year ago today. Sussy went home to Gabriela for convalescence.
Sussy had been diagnosed with an infection. She was listless and she suffered a loss of hair on her tail. She responded very well to treatment and was soon back here. Our picture shows her one year on. Her coat has recovered and she is vigorous and completely healthy. She is not keen on having her photograph taken and avoids the camera. I was lucky to get this good shot.

The world is a safer place, amen

There is more news on the attack that we sustained, actually the last two attacks. You will remember reading that two of the attackers were shot dead by some unknown vigilante. I published the story on the Blog with a gruesome photograph. Well the latest on that is that there was another miscreant and that he was involved in both attacks. Well to my surprise he has met the same fate. This happened only yesterday. Again a vigilante has crept up on him in the night and blown him away with a shot gun. (Not guilty my Lord). Those that live by the sword etc.. It would not be Christian to laud his death but it would not be human if I did not sleep sounder as a result. I pray for his immortal soul. Clearly this gang has upset someone in a big way and he/she has wiped them out. By the way, my wound has completely healed up and gives me no trouble at all.

The forest claims its own.

I am very sad this morning. My dog Shakira died. She was ten years old and the mother of innumerable litters. I say my dog but really she belonged to the forest. I should explain that all the dogs at Cañaote are semi wild. They come to the house at mealtimes and stay in the locality of the house at night. They are excellent guard dogs. They bark furiously at any intruder. They are certainly not lap dogs. All of them, without exception are her children. We have six dogs and as of yesterday eight puppies, Shakira’s grandchildren. The wildness is good in a sense because the dogs are free to roam the forest and mountain like their ancestors but bad in that it is impossible to get close enough to treat them when they are sick. Although there has always been a special relationship between me and Shakira, it is only recently that she would allow me to stroke her. She disappeared over a week ago, returning last night thin, weak and ill. She allowed me to treat her but it was all too little and too late. My beautiful Shakira returns to her forest for the last time.

Monalisa

We have not had a photograph of MonaLisa for a while. This picture was taken at the same time as the last posting. In the background you can see little Nancy and Emma at the back.

Maniña at lunch.

A short posting. Yesterday I was watching Maniña at lunch with a bunch of fresh leaves. Forest fresh is always a great favorite. Clearly he was really enjoying them. I couldn't resist posting this very typical pose. That's Nancy in the background also chomping leaves. Forest fresh leaves are part of the regular diet of the monkeys here at Canaote. It is not possible to supply the quantity that a Howler would normally eat in a day since they quietly chew through a very large amount. We give them a substantial diet of leaves in addition to normal meals, every other day.

Negro is making progress

Negro came to us on the 24th February 2007 but it was not until the 28th that we diagnosed Rickets. We began his treatment at once. Negro’s recovery from Rickets is slow but definite. He is housed in a small hospital enclosure in order to lessen the chance of hurting himself. A fall or misfooting in a large enclosure could be disastrous, particularly if he were to damage his weak backbone. He has a dietary supplement in milk, of Vitamins and calcium in addition to his regular meals. He has this twice a day. It was difficult, at first to get him to accept the milk. We were told when he arrived that he did not drink milk because it gave him hiccups. This turned out to be a myth fortunately.
I have been a doubting Thomas all through this treatment. I just could not see how a belated supply of calcium could reinforce already formed bone. Each day Negro displays more activity. He is using his legs, arms and tail much more vigorously. This can only be because there is less pain and more strength in these limbs. His characteristic gait, walking on his forearms rather than his hands is also noticeably less. This is the feature of his recovery which has surprised me most. I was prepared to believe that he could metabolize the calcium into bone but I thought that the gait was not only a matter of bone structure but also of habit. Of course he is young and still growing and that must be the explanation of the changes in the bone. Naturally it makes me unhappy to see him in a small enclosure. I want to see him swinging on ropes and climbing trees. His incarceration will probably continue for another month.

His location does have compensations. He is very close to the enclosure with MonaLisa Emma, Rosita, Nancy as well as Mañiña and Schatov. There is considerable interaction between them and he now joins in the morning and evening chorus. He has a very fine voice. Rosita is a frequent visitor. She wriggles through the wire whenever Negro gets his food. This is usually just a few minute before her food is served but she just can’t wait. Rosita and Negro are becoming good friends. She is probably his first friend.
We are already thinking about his future. Maybe Sussy would accept him as a surrogate son. There is a possibility that Chippy, the very beautiful female howler from San Carlos may be coming to live with us soon. She also might want a son. Howlers are very particular when choosing friends and it will be a matter of asking them who they prefer to live with.

Schatov and the late night supper.

Both Schatov and Mañiña are late night visitors to our house. Long after sunset, these two friends come into our house. We always leave a little on the side of our dinner plates for these two supper seekers. In an earlier posting you saw Mañiña at supper and today it is Schatov’s turn to have his picture in the blog.

Totto's new home is nearly ready

The work on Totto’s new environment is at last nearing completion. It has been subject to so many delays. The main problem has been the shortage of supplies for the construction. Finally, we had to go out of State to obtain materials. Not least among the problems has been the big increase in the price of the high quality wire. Today we paid 240,000 Bs for one roll. Fortunately, this is the final roll of eight to complete the work.
Our pension from the U.K. has been another source of delay. For some reason they decided that they wanted us to confirm that we were both alive and well. (Annoying but a genuine request, not a Phishing). Funds were curtailed until an answer was received. This request was contained in a letter, which still has not arrived. We finally resolved the problem with them by telephone. But not before the cash position here had got to a difficult level. People in England cannot believe that it can take three months for a letter to arrive here. We are just now receiving Christmas cards. Thank you Lorenzo and Tim.

On the right, the photograph shows the double gate system. William, one of our local workers, has completed all the metal soldering. The house on the left is quite complex so I hope that Totto likes what we have made for him. We have studied his behavior and built the house around his habits. There are two floors connected by an internal staircase. The top floor will allow him to take advantage of the cool afternoon breeze that flows through the valley. There is also a small shelf in the roof, where he can sit on rainy days. The Swiss style roof is double and angled away from the usual direction of the rain. The main room has two entrances and will have sack doors to keep out the weather. The walls and floor will also be covered.
There is not a lot more to do. The final roll of wire must be attached. The doors have to be constructed. The area contains two live mango trees and these will be connected up to the house with bamboo walkways, which will stretch completely around the whole area. There will be no need for Totto to go down to the ground.
We will add ropes, swings, and various toys to make life interesting. In particular, Totto likes to have a platform on which to laze. This location was carefully chosen because it has a generous mixture of sun and shade. It is spacious and inside the security fence, which you can see in the background.
This project is way over schedule but the work is well done and I think Totto and Sophie will be happy here.

Totto gets a visit.

I can scarcely believe that a week has fled by since my last post. We have been so busy here at Cañaote. So let us just catch up.
Last Saturday we had a visit from Arquimedes and Ingrid. They came to see Totto and Sophie. The visit was a great success. Totto was obviously delighted to see Ingrid. I took many photographs but for the first time my camera let me down. I had substituted a little used memory card for the usual one and when I came to load into the computer, it was blank. This is a great shame because I thought I had some great shots of Totto’s family with him. The family was interested to see how far we had got in the construction of Totto’s new location. We have now obtained all the wire and the job is now going ahead. We discussed the logistics of moving Totto into the new area. I remind you that Totto is a big monkey and a very proud one. He would not readily allow anyone to pick him up and move him. Ingrid has a special way with him. Our plan is that the enclosure should be complete by the end of the month and that Arquimedes and Ingrid will visit again at that time and assist with the moving operation. I am very pleased with Totto’s redesigned house. But I will wait for another posting to describe it.
Negro also received a visitor in the afternoon.
News from Manrique tells us that Marco and Vicky are both well and happy. We plan a visit to them soon.

The late late show

Supper is over and Schatov has gone over to David's room for the night. The lights are low and just the gentle glow from my PDA illuminates the room. But Mañiña still has energy to burn. He plays hard during the day with Schatov and MonaLisa and Rosita. But he is young and not easily tired and he is fueled by a piece of chocolate he stole from the fridge. (see picture) He wants to play a few more games before settling down to sleep. This involves moving things. Books, wastepaper bin, if it moves it's in the game. Sleep eventually comes and I am as tired as he is.

Negro's progress

In this photograph of Negro’s temporary small enclosure, you can see that he has Rosita as a dinner guest. It shows him walking on his forearms rather than his hands. This is one of the telltale signs of Rickets disease. He is avoiding the wrist pain by doing this. He appears otherwise healthy. He has started joining in the morning chorus, not a loud voice yet but he is taking part. He climbs the enclosure walls apparently without discomfort. His appetite is still giving us a little concern although he drinks the fortified milk with the calcium and vitamin ‘D’ addition. He is a charming little fellow and the staff already love him. He is never short of admirers.

Midweek round up

First, news of Marco and Vicky from Gabriela. I have included a translation in English as well as the original note. Errors in the translation are mine hmmmm..
The photograph shows the two of them together. She is looking skywards. What words would you put in her mouth? Use the comment box.


Hello Philip, I have good news, today in the afternoon Marco mounted Vicky. He never leaves her. He is always with her. Both are very in love, I hope in 6 months we have a grandson. I am very happy with this new news. I will tell you if there is any other new event about them . I say goodbye Gabriela.

Hola Philip, le tengo buenas noticias, hoy en la tarde Marco monto a Vicky, (sexo).
El no la deja tranquila ni un minuto, todo el tiempo esta atras de ella, los dos estan muy enamorados, espero que dentro de 6 meses tengamos un nieto.
Estoy muy contenta con esta nueva noticia.
Cualquier otro nuevo acontecimiento se lo informo.
Me despido
Gabriela.

Negro has settled down in his small enclosure and is much bolder and active. He has regained some of his appetite and is taking his milk (fortified with Calcium) without any difficulty. I am optimistic about a full recovery from the Rickets because he is cooperating. His enclosure abuts the dwelling of Mañiña, Schatov, Rosita and MonaLisa and Emma and Nancy. There is considerable interaction between them. He is never bored. Rosita continues to pay him frequent visits, especially at meal times. She invites herself to all his meals.

We continue with the Totto house construction in spite of delays. Completion will probably not be until next week.

Totto enjoys a snack.

The work on Totto's new residence continues this week. The work has been slightly delayed whilst we searched for more materials. There is a good possibility that it will be completed this week. Totto has taken an active interest in the work. Our picture shows him enjoying a snack whilst watching the construction through his window.

Sussy gets a visit.

On Saturday, Gabriela did a grand tour following her time with Negro. She visited MonaLisa and Rosita. She spent time with Emma and Nancy. Schatov and Mañiña gave her a great welcome, especially because she also brought an abundance of good food. Totto is rarely sociable but today with Gabriela was an exception. Strange how the boy monkeys always like the female visitors. Sophie was also quite charming today.
Sussy was delighted to see her human mother. She opened all the boxes of food that Gabriela had brought. All so reminiscent of a child examining the entire luggage on your return home from a trip. She was so excited.
I took this photograph showing Gabriela and Sussy.

Rickets

Today marks seven days since Negro arrived here and we have had time to watch him and evaluate his health. From about the second day, his gait began to ring alarm bells. In the last post, I reported that he had been treated for Rickets. With this condition, the body does not form strong bone. Weakness and pain are usually present in the ankles and wrist. Our observations have confirmed that Negro is suffering from Rickets. He cannot walk well and his loss of mobility prevents him from using the bamboo walkways. We are fortunate to have had expert advice for Negro and have set up a program to treat him. He is young, possibility under one year. Therefore, the prognosis is good. Firstly, we have moved him into a small enclosure where, if he falls he is unlikely to hurt himself. He has sunlight all day, very important for the formation of vitamin D. He has a comfortable hammock and is already using it. He is within sight of a big group of our children so his mind is kept occupied. As you know Rosita can wriggle out of her enclosure, and she has done, so that she can go on visits to see him. He is on a diet with supplements of Calcium and vitamin D.
We were shocked to discover that he had advanced Rickets. We were not told that he was a sick child when we received him but we are pleased that he has come to us so that we can give him the care and love needed to cure him. He is a brave little boy, frightened by his new environment but very willing to learn. I think he is going to be Mr. Personality plus.
Today he had a surprise visitor. Gabriela came on one of her regular visits to Sussy. Negro immediately warmed to her and they became great pals. It was wonderful to see the sudden transition in him. He became animated and happy. I think he likes the ladies.

Our picture? Well Gabriela with Negro of course.

Marco and Vicky, Wonderful news

This post from Gabriela is in Spanish. Gabriela has done great work in bringing these two children together. I am so happy to see my little boy living a fulfilled life with Vicky.

Hola Philip, estoy muy contenta con el comportamiento de Marco, ya que ha cambiado mucho, se acuerda que el siempre estaba nervioso y corriendo en la jaula, y desde que esta libre esta muy calmado, siempre curioso de todas las cosas, mirando y aprendiendo de Vicky,.
Usted sabe que yo los observo mucho a ellos, y el esta muy tranquilo se trepa a los arboles cada vez con mas seguridad, porque Vicky conoce cada rama de los arboles porque ella se ha criado en libertad y por eso ella salta con mucha rapidez y agilidad, Marco la sigue y aprende mucho con ella que hojas puede comer y a que rama se debe subir y cuales son las mas seguras que no tenga peligro de romperse al caminar por ellas.
Marco esta muy enamorado de Vicky siempre esta con ella, hay veces en que ella llega primero a la casa para almorzar o cenar porque ella ya esta sintiendo la fuerza de macho dominante de Marco, ya que si él esta comiendo ella espera que el termine, para luego ella comer.
El se le acerca a ella y ella sale corriendo, hoy el se le acerco con cariño por la espalda para olerla y pasarle la lengua, y ella se quejo como lo hace Sussy, y el se puso un poco furioso y le sujeto el brazo y la jalo, pero esos son momentos muy cortos de Marco para demostrarle quien es el que manda, luego estan juntos de nuevo.
Marco esta muy tranquilo y relajado, se sienta al lado mio para comer y me mira con mucho cariño, el es un buen muchacho, y su cara transmite mucha ternura.

El come muy bien, le encanta la lechuga romana, todos los días tengo que preparar mas cantidad porque no le deja nada a Vicky, siempre se sienta y se la come toda.
Le gustan muchos los vegetales y el queso blanco con muy poca sal, le encanta comer en la tarde pan dulce, el platano crudo y apio crudo el cual se lo voy rebanando al momento para que este crocante.
Creo que ambos tomamos una muy buena decisión al unirlos, ellos estan felices y nosotros también.
Me ha costado mucho tomarles una buena foto, porque pasan la mayor parte del dia en los arboles, y usted sabe que por las hojas ellos casi no se ven, pero hoy les tome una juntos en el tubo que va hacia el techo, voy a tratar de enviarla hoy, si no puedo se la envio mañana desde San Carlos.
Me despido y se que estas noticias le van a alegrar el corazón.
Un beso y abrazo a mi niña Susy.
Chao
Gabriela.

Negro, first pictures

Negro arrived with us last Saturday and is proving to be quite a challenge. He is terrified of everyone. He is also being difficult to feed. He is so concerned about being caught that he ignores his food. He has now started to feed himself but we have had to rely on bottle feeding for some days. I have some concern about his motility and spatial control. When he walks he crouches close to the ground. It was my plan to keep him near me for at least a few weeks and in that way to give him confidence. However the motility problem has caused me to revise that plan. I believe that basically he is a healthy,one year old animal but a year in a small cage has limited his movement skills. I have transferred him to an outside enclosure in the daytime. He returns to the house and my company in the evening. From his large outside location, he can climb and has a view of several of the other children. Yesterday he spent quite a long time close to Sussy’s house and there was some interaction between them. I am seeking some veterinary advice for him. But whatever the daily dose of sunshine must be beneficial. I know that he has been treated for rickets. I wonder if this behavior is related to that condition. On examination, his leg and arm muscles seem strong and healthy. I will keep you posted on the progress of Negro.

Breaking News!

The hot new is that Negro arrived here at Cañaote on Saturday. He was introduced to us by Nancy the Veterinary Surgeon from Valencia. She brought with her his human family, Maria. We were delighted to meet Nancy and her son again and Maria, visiting us for the first time. Negro is one year old and very handsome. He has a very large hyoid bone. He has a problem. He is intensely anxious about his new surroundings. I understand that he spent a great deal of time in a cage, although he was taken out and handled. Here of course we expect the children to be handled a great deal. We share our lives with them and they share with us. Maybe not everyone would approve but our children mainly come from human, caring environments and we try to keep that balance between recognizing their dignity and their learned human responses.
Where is he? Where is his photograph? Answer question number one. Open my bedroom door, turn right and check the bottom draw of the chest on the left. He is too terrified now to adventure around the place much. He is in a strange location among people he does not recognize. It will take a while before he loses his fear. In the meantime, he is being bottle fed, he is not interested in the fruit and veg that we are offering. Love and patience are needed and we have plenty of both. We took him around yesterday, and introduced him to some of the others. MonaLisa was very positive, she likes him. Emma was positive, much to my relief. Schatov and Manina ignored him. Hoping I suppose that he would go away.
Photographs, well wait a few days.

NOTE:
The hyoid, a supportive bone at the base of the tongue, is enlarged and formed into an egg-shaped hollow box, which acts as a resonating chamber.

Little Grey Home in the West

This week there has been furious activity to build a new residence for Totto and Sophie. This is part of our program to move all of our monkeys into secure areas.
A suitable site was selected among the trees on the west side of the house. This has meant extending our security high voltage fence, and that in itself was a big task. The house is now almost complete and you can see it in our photograph. The house has a main room and a roof area, which is popular on hot afternoons. There are two doors to the main room and it has a short stairway, which leads to the upstairs area. The doors are made of durable sacking so that getting in and out is possible without exposing the house to rain. The roof is sloping and substantial, offering protection against both rain and sun. The interior is furnished with a large soft pillow and a blanket. In the background of the picture, you can see the mature mango trees that will form part of their enclosure. There is plenty of shade and sunny places to bask. Over the coming week we will be erecting the high wire fence, which will give access to tall trees with plenty of leaves available to chew on. We will be providing bamboo walkways between the trees as well as plenty of swings and ropes to play on. This is a natural home for Totto and his bride. I am sure that they will enjoy the change.
The cost of this kind of construction has now become almost untenable, with the price of metal posts, cement and wire, increasing daily. This work has been made possible by a substantial donation from Totto's human family.

When the golden sun sinks in the hills
And the toil of a long day is o'er
Though the road may be long, in the lilt of a song
I forget I was weary before
Far ahead, where the blue shadows fall
I shall come to contentment and rest
And the toils of the day will be all charmed away
In my little grey home of the west

There are hands that will welcome me in
There are lips I am burning to kiss
There are two eyes that shine just because they are mine
And a thousand things other men miss
It's a corner of heaven itself
Though it's only a tumble-down nest
But with love brooding there, why no place can compare
With my little grey home in the west


"Little Grey Home in the West" was written in 1911 by Hermann Frederic Löhr and D. Eardley-Wilmot

All good pals and jolly good company

Not many people know about the late night suppers that Mañiña and Schatov enjoy. When everyone else has gone to bed, these two creep into my room and enjoy a late night supper that has been left out for them. MonaLisa with Sophie are fast asleep by this time. These two boys play hard during the day but enjoy sharing a meal at bedtime.
Schatov is nearest to you in the photograph.

The Ghosts.

At Cañaote, we receive many phone calls requesting places from Howler monkey owners. We call owners, donors. Our facility is small and we can accept only a small number of monkeys.
After a number of calls sometimes, we hear no more. I wonder what happens to the monkeys. We call these monkeys ‘the ghosts’. An example was the female child who had only one leg. The owner had allowed the family dog to savage her and she lost a leg. For humanitarian reasons, we agreed to take her. We were prepared to make a special location for her so that she always near human care and attention. However, after a number of phone calls we heard no more.

Donors are often worried about bringing their children to us. One family visited twice before finally leaving the little boy with us each time leaving in a shower of tears. Another visited, intending it to be just a ‘look see’ visit and finally left the little fellow with us. The point I am making is that parting can be very traumatic and we understand because we have been through this many times.
Another local family brings their female monkey to visit. The mother complains about neck and shoulder pains. Her doctor has told her that the monkey sitting on her shoulder aggravates it.

Currently we have two donors one in Valencia and another in Caracas that have not confirmed their requests. We have mentioned Lala, from Caracas. Her donors are currently not in Venezuela. We worry about her whereabouts, and how she is being treated and fed.
A foundation has been in touch with us over the last few weeks concerning an adult. They are still deciding as the weeks go by.
Donors of a small boy have asked for a place with us through their Vet and now are having second thoughts. Where does love begin and selfish end? How can you say that you love an animal and then deprive it of a natural existence? Deny the monkey its place in the order of life.
I have a theory about our ‘ghosts’. When I lived in England, we were fortunately able to employ a servant or housekeeper. Often I would find the newspaper open on the table at the situations vacant column with rings marked around various positions. We also had calls from potential employees asking for appointments, most of which were never kept. This was a proving, that if they wanted to leave their present employer, they could. They prove to themselves that their services are wanted elsewhere and that they could leave at anytime. Monkey donors, I believe are doing the same thing. They are testing to see that if they needed to divest themselves of the monkey, they could. Typically Howler monkeys live in the forest to the age of 20, in captivity rather longer, say 25. When people buy a monkey from a boy by the roadside, are they thinking about their responsibility for the next 25 years?
There are small monkey ghosts out there needing help. They are living in a strange world that is neither human nor monkey. We want to think that we will never refuse a monkey but the demands grow and our facility is limited. We have the land, the love and the will but the money eludes us.
However great the human love bestowed on a monkey, it cannot replace the pride of fatherhood, the love of the monkey mother for her child and the freedom of the forest.
Our picture is of Chipi on one of her visits to us.

Who lives in BIG HOUSE?

Dramatis personae.
MonaLisa now 5 years old and was brought to us when she was aged 1 year and 9 months. Since then the owner has not inquired even once about her.
Rosita just a baby and fostered by MonaLisa. The family that brought her to us inquire often.
Schatov came to us in January 06. His family inquires about him frequently and pays him visits. A delightful monkey, well mannered, friendly and loving..
Mañiña is nearly three years old. He has been neutered. His human family inquires about him frequently. He is a delightful personality.
Emma is two years old and came to us from the ARFA rescue facility. She is the foster mother of Nancy. A very young foster mum.
Nancy has been with us only four months and came to us from a Vet in Valencia. She has yet to learn to trust the staff.. Possibly traumatized during capture.


Relationships among Howler monkeys are dynamic. They are a constantly developing and changing factor. We have a group of monkeys that we regard as being semi domesticated. These monkeys have spent long periods in the company of humans and their behavior has been modified by that experience. These changing relationships can be difficult to manage. Let us look at the group, MonaLisa and Rosita, Schatov and Mañiña, Emma and Nancy. They occupy a dividable enclosure alongside our house. They were selected to occupy this place because they showed a tendency to enjoy being with other monkeys. The first part is roofed and leads to an outside area, which contains a specially constructed monkey house and high walkways, swings and hamocks. A small gate separates these two areas. Access to our house is possible through the window of a room, which adjoins the enclosure. Formally, Schatov and Emma occupied another enclosure together. We moved them to the enclosure described above for security reasons. We felt that there was a danger of them being attacked by thieves. However, in the new area, enmity developed between them and it was necessary to keep them apart. The dividing gate was closed. Mañiña and Emma were also antagonistic. The final situation was that Schatov, Mañiña with MonaLisa and Rosita lived on the roofed part of the area and Emma, and Nancy lived on the garden side.
Clearly, this was unsatisfactory from a health point of view. The monkeys on the inside were not getting enough sunshine. We quickly instituted a program of monitored mixing between the two groups. A helper or I would be nearby all the time to be sure that peace prevailed. There were a number of incidences where it was necessary to intervene. But these have gradually subsided and they can now be left unattended without bad behavior. The little understood animosities are still there. Mañiña ventures out into the garden area and places himself well away from Emma. There is a certain amount of squabbling between Schatov and Mañiña but I regard this as two young boys playing even though it can get a little rough, no one gets hurt. Later the two can be seen sleeping together in a fruit box. Little Nancy loves Emma and MonaLisa, plays hard all day with Rosita. She adopts Emma’s dislike of Mañiña and Schatov. Actually to be frank, she doesn’t like me very much either. Nancy puffs up and readies for attack at the slightest provocation. We are working on it, but she is a difficult monkey. I am sure that it has been caused by the circumstances of her capture, which must have been traumatic.
I hope that wasn’t to complicated to understand, you really have to experience it to understand the complex interaction.
Our picture shows Mañiña and Schatov enjoying an afternoon nap in a fruit box. Schatov is on the right.

The true story of Valentine.

The Story Of The Priest Called Valentine

In the city of Rome in the years around 270BC there lived an Emperor named Claudius. He is known in history as Claudius the Cruel.
Near his palace was a beautiful temple where the priest Valentine served. The Romans loved him dearly and assembled in the temple to hear his words. Before the fire that always burned on the altar they knelt to ask his blessing. Rich and poor, wise and ignorant, old and young, noble and common people they all flocked to Valentine.
Wars broke out in the Roman Empire. Claudius summoned the citizens forth to battle and year after year the fighting continued. Many of the Romans were unwilling to go. The married men did not want to leave their families. The younger men did not wish to leave their sweethearts. The Emperor was angry when soldiers were too few. He ordered that no marriages should be celebrated and that all engagements must be broken off immediately.
Now the good priest Valentine heard of the Emperor's command and was very sad. When a young couple came to the temple, he secretly united them in marriage in front of the sacred altar. Another pair sought his aid and in secret he wedded them. Others came and quietly were married. Valentine was the friend of lovers in every district of Rome.
But, such secrets could not be kept for long in Rome. At last word of Valentine's acts reached the palace and Claudius the Cruel was angry, exceedingly angry. He summoned his soldiers. "Go! Take that priest in the temple! Cast him into a dungeon! No man in Rome, priest or not, shall disobey my commands!"
Valentine was dragged from the temple, away from the altar where a young maiden and a Roman youth stood, ready to be married, and the soldiers took him off to prison.
Many asked Claudius to release Valentine but Claudius refused to do so, and in a dungeon Valentine languished and died. His devoted friends buried him in the church of St. Praxedes. When you go to Rome you can see the very place.
It was the year 270BC, on the 14th of February.

Our pictures today show our two lovers, Vicky on the left and Marco.

Marco met Vicky, his Valentine

What will you do for love on Wednesday?

Marco and Vicky. A report from Gabriela.

This report from Gabriela was received yesterday. In both Spanish and English.

Hello Philip, I have good news about Marco and Vicky. Yesterday they were in the trees playing the whole day and I gave them their food in the mango bush that is just below the tree, on a table that I have placed there. Marco ate well.
Today in the morning I prepared his milk drink and he and Vicky drank it at the same mango bush. They slept together last night in the trees.
During the day, I watched them to be sure that he would not run away, and to my surprise Vicky arrived here at the window of the house with Marco to have dinner, It made me happy to see that she brought him here, they both ate and then left for the roof where Vicky sleeps, together.
So I believe that the mission is fulfilled they are already friends, let us hope he consummates the marriage soon and let us be grandparents.
I say goodbye.
Gabriela.


Hola Philip, le tengo buenas noticias de Marco y Vicky, ayer estuvieron todo el dia en los arboles jugando y yo les di la comida en la mata de mango que esta abajo, en una mesa que tengo en ese sitio, marco comio bien.
Hoy en la Mañana le prepare su merengada y lo busque y estaba con Vicky en la misma mata de mango, durmieron juntos anoche en el arbol.
Durante el dia lo estuve observando, porque estaba pendiente no se fuera a escapar, y cual es mi sorpresa cuando llega Vicky aqui a la ventana de la casa con Marco para cenar, me dió mucha alegria que ella lo trajera hasta aqui, el comio y se fue para el techo donde Vicky duerme para estar con ella.
Asi que creo que la misión esta cumplida ya son novios, esperemos que se consume el matrimonio pronto y seamos abuelos.
Me despido..
Gabriela.

Ramona is back on the street.

There is some good news about Ramona, the street monkey of Tinaco. She had posed a threat to passersby and I suspect that she had bitten someone, although I was never told that. All monkeys bite, especially when frustrated. I posted showing her appalling conditions. A tree in a dirty rat infested area of refuse behind a local shop. The owners promised me that they would construct a large enclosure for her. This has not been done.
However, she has been moved back to her favorite tree in the street. She greeted me with kisses yesterday when I visited her with some fresh leaves from the forest. She recognized me and was excited to see me.
The owners, who are caring people and do love her, told me that she was ‘on heat’. Could I take her to Canaote for a week or so and introduce her to a male?
Now of course this is magical and fantasy thinking. What would happen if Ramona had a baby? There would be very little problem for the first six months or so, whilst the baby would be clinging to the mother’s back but after that?
Two chained monkeys in a street tree. Worse still, separated, perhaps sold or handed over to a shelter. If these good people want to give Ramona the semblance of fulfillment in her life, the least they can do is build a large enclosure for her, where she could bring up her child. I would expect this minimum. They have plenty of suitable land in their yard. Over the next days, I will be bringing all the influence I have to convince them to do this.
My picture shows Ramona today, very mature now and very pretty. I estimate her age as four years. She is in excellent health and there is no reason why she should not be a successful mother if given the conditions.
.

Marco is free

Yesterday I visited Marco and Vicky. I took with me a bunch of leaves from the forest around Canaote. When I arrived, he was sitting in his enclosure still looking a little confused. He had arrived here a week earlier and there was no sign of me. Now suddenly I appeared with his favorite munch. Vicky looked on from a distance, although earlier I had seen her alongside him but outside the enclosure. He was happy with the leaves and set about eating them. After a short while we opened the door and allowed him to escape. He was tentative at first. Looking at the grass, then climbing a small tree, then down on the ground again searching in a broad sweep. Suddenly there was a loud crash and Vicky appears at his side. She grabbed him and held him tight. Marco shot away and then there ensued the most incredible chase through the trees. This chase carried on for most of my visit. After an excellent lunch, we returned to watching Marco and Vicky getting to know each other. This was not ‘me Tarzan, you Jane’, but rather ‘me Jane you Tarzan’. Vicky it turns out is a bit of an Amazon and now at last she has her man.
It is going to take time. He is young, boisterous, and inexperienced and she is older and strong.
The test will be where they sleep tonight. I am sure that Gabriela will tell me.
I wanted a picture of their first moments together but these pictures were largely obscured by the trees as the pair of them raced through the branches. So for now, here is a picture of Marco in the trees during his first moments of his new life with Vicky. More news as it comes in.

Marco and Vicky

I have posted that Marco has gone to live with Vicky at the home of Gabriela. This is a sensitive time because Howlers either like or hate each other. Garbriela has sent us these wonderful pictures showing the two together. I will visit them over the next few days hopefully to witness Marco being released into the trees around Gabriela's house. It certainly looks as if Marco has taken Vicky to be his bride.

Marco goes to live with Vicky

I received the following letter from Gabriela this evening and I want to share it with you. I have included an English translation. You can imagine how happy I was to get this news. I refer to a previous posting, where I told you that Marco was going to live with Vicky at the home of Gabriela. The photograph reminds me, what a hansom fellow he is.

Hello Philip, I arrived from Caracas today, and I am happy to tell you that Marco and Vicky are already friends. She spent he whole day on the roof of his enclosure and on its side and she played with Marco a lot and she gave him many kisses, and he loved it.
Tomorrow I will be watching them all day and I will allow Vicky to enter the enclosure to see how they behave, if all goes well, I think that we will be able to allow him to live together with Vicky in the trees.

I would like you to come here on the day that I release him because I know that it will make you happy.

I say goodbye
Gabriela

Hola Philip, Estoy llegando de Caracas hoy, y estoy feliz porque ya Marco y Vicky son amigos ella pasa todo el dia en el techo de la jaula y a un lado y toca mucho a Marco y le da muchos besos, y a el le encanta esto.
Mañana voy a estar todo el dia observandolos y voy a tratar de que Vicky entre en la jaula a ver como se comportan ambos, si se llevan bien yo creo que esta misma semana libero a Marco y lo suelto con Vicky.
Me gustaria que usted viniera el dia que yo suelte a marco porque se que a usted lo haria muy feliz tambien.
Tengo muchas ganas de verlo saltando en los arboles con Vicky.

Gabriela

Rosita is an adventuress.

Rosita is an adventuress. (not a wanton strumpet) She is small but she packs enthusiasm into everything that she does. She is first at the watering hole. Nobody beats Rosita to the milk or plates of food. Because she is slim, she can easily wriggle through the wire of her enclosure into the upper part of the big mango tree that is overhead. She spends much of the day hanging by her tail there or eating its leaves. This is much to the consternation of her playmate, Nancy, who being a little larger around the waist, cannot follow Rosita through the wire into the tree. I say she is an adventuress because, I placed some extra fine wire in the location where she exits the enclosure but she has found a very circuitous route, through a side panel, then up onto the roof and the across a low hanging bough into the Mango Tree. These two very young female howlers have completely different personalities. Nancy is suspicious and not very approachable whilst Rosita is trusting and outgoing. Regardless of her small size, she plays with the two boys Mañiña and Schatov as an equal and she is not in the least intimidated by them.

It's mango time again.

We begin February 2007 with a surprise. Already the mangoes are falling to the ground. By local reckoning, they are a full month early. This will make a welcome addition to the children’s breakfast. Monkeys love mangoes.
Marco is settling down in his new home in Manrique and we are getting daily reports of his progress. Apparently, he is quite keen to meet Vicky but Vicky is showing well-mannered reserve. She watches him with interest but from afar. I will keep you posted on their progress. Maybe Gabriella will give us some photographs when Marco and Vicky get together. We have no news about the two Howlers that have asked to come here. Negro a little boy from Valencia and Lala a young lady from Caracas.
The actual logistics of feeding five groups of monkeys, all in different locations, maybe of interest. Until recently, it was necessary to take each individual plate to the location. We have constructed a carrier so that all five the plates can be delivered on one round journey. This saves a lot of legwork and speeds up the feeding routine. We show a photograph of the prototype. You see there the evening meal of mixed vegetables. Only four plates this time, because Marco is no longer with us.

Au revoir mon Cher

I feel silly sitting here with tears racing down my face but I can’t help it. Marco has been playing alone for many months now. He swings on his ropes, climbs his ladders and runs around his walkways and all at high speed. However, he is lonely. Gabriela has a beautiful lady Howler, called Vicky she is also alone and craves for a friend to keep her company. We decided to put them together. Marco is a young adult and not far off wanting to be a father and raise a family. Putting them together is the best solution for both these children.
I have nurtured Marco since he was a tiny 500 grams. I have been with him everyday for the last three years, feeding him, playing with him. Sussy was his foster mother and she cared for him during his childhood, carrying him everywhere on her back.
Just like any father, I am tearful now my boy leaves home. Selfish? Yes because that is the nature of love. But I know I can visit him whenever I like and in the famous words. I have not lost a son, I have gained a daughter. We will watch him develop his new life with fascination. He will be free in the trees at Manrique He will share his life with Vicky. I love them both.
Our picture shows Marco just moments before he drove away with Gabriela on his way to his new life. In a cage for the journey but only for a very short while.

Sussy looking young and pretty

Sussy is an old lady but still very active and athletic. A few months ago we noticed some loss of hair and also the tone of her legs muscles gave us some concern. Gabriela, her human mother arranged for an analysis of the hair in the area of hair loss and discovered a parasitic infection. This was treated successfully. We also gave her a diet supplement to give her more vitamins and a little fish oil. The result has been dramatic. Here you see her this morning enjoying a forbidden ice cream with Longan fruit. Her coat is healthy and the tone has returned to her legs.

Note: The longan is native to southern China, in the provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi. The formal name is Dimocarpus longan
Closely allied to the glamorous lychee, in the family Sapindaceae, the longan, or lungan, also known as dragon's eye or eyeball, and as mamoncillo chino in Cuba, has been referred to as the "little brother of the lychee", or li-chihnu, "slave of the lychee". Botanically, it is placed in a separate genus, and is currently designated Dimocarpus longan Lour. (syns. Euphoria longan Steud.; E. longana Lam.; Nephelium longana Cambess.). We have an avenue of tall, mature Longans here at Canaote but fruit has sofar eluded us. According to the esteemed scholar, Prof. G. Weidman Groff, the longan is less important to the Chinese as an edible fruit, more widely used than the lychee in Oriental medicine.

Our prayers for this little boy.

It has been my custom to visit websites where the keepers of other breeds of monkey exchange ideas.
My mission is the shelter and rescue of Howler monkeys in Venezuela.
I have no quarrel with those who care for primates in private
facilities. I have also said that I have no problem with dealers who
legitimately breed primates for sale. This can be the ultimate
salvation of the primates when we have finally destroyed their
habitats. I do hope I have made this clear.
Not against legitimate private ownership.
Not against controlled breeding for sale.
There is a difference between breeding for sale and collection with shotgun from the wild.
So it was with horror that I read the following letter from an owner in the USA.

'I have an adult male rhesus macaque that needs to be placed in an
experienced home. He is not tame and is not for breeding as he tries to
hurt the females. He must be picked up in Arizona. You must have a dart
gun and a welded steel crate to transport him. If you are interested
please call me at xxx xxxxxx'

Where did this monkey come from? Why is he so angry. If he is not tame then what is he doing in a cage? What sort of kindness is it that starts with a dart gun in hand?
I pray for his salvation from this torment, join me.

Welcome back Mum.

Manina comes from a human family who have been in touch with us almost daily since he arrived here. Sadly the family lost computer facility before Christmas, so they have not been able to read about him on Forget me not. A few days ago I noticed that the facility had returned and the family, once again are in contact. Manina is a very special little person. He is almost human in his behavior. He eats his supper every night with me and sleeps part of the night in my quarters before heading back to his favorite hammock. I know he will be happy to know that the family are once again in the loop.

Nature's bounty

These are some of the fruits available in Cañaote Botanic Garden this week. Needless to say the monkeys really love them.

The large red fruit that looks like a heart is Annona reticulate or ‘Corozon’. Sometimes known as ‘Custard Apple’. Grown from seed here at Cañaote in February 1998. It is a native of Tropical America. It makes great ice-cream and juice.
The little yellow fruit is ‘Pouteria Ross’ or ‘Ross Canistel’. Probably a hybrid of ‘Pouteria camechiana’ and is the best tasting of the Canistels. Our cutting was planted in August 1999.

This was a selection from the monkey's breakfast preparation. The fruit was picked freshly this morning.

Did you know?

If you click on any of our photographs, you will get a full page view which is greatly magnified. Try it.

Bruised fruit Mary.

Over time, several people have written to me saying that I treat the Monkeys like human children. I don’t take this as criticism because to an extent this is true. It is easy to see why, because often they act like children. Let me give you an example. MonaLisa, Rosita and Schatov sleep together in David’s room at night. They tuck themselves under the sheets just like human children. The only thing missing is the bedtime story. (I will get around to it). A few evenings ago, the tranquil bedtime scene was broken by a vocal disagreement coming from the bedroom. I investigated and there in full throat was Schatov, clearly unhappy and MonaLisa puffed up and ready for a fight. I don’t know what caused this quarrel but I suspect it was about Schatov wanting to sleep where MonaLisa had already chosen to be. Schatov was upset and ran towards me. I picked him up and cradled him in my arms to comfort him. Just as you would if a boy had stolen your son’s ball. He relaxed, he wanted that comfort and reassurance. That night he slept very close to me until the early hours. Then he left my room. In the morning, all forgiven, I found him snuggled up against MonaLisa. The small crisis had passed.

Mañiña is a monkey very used to constant human attention. He is very healthy and strong, plays vigorously on his ropes and swings for most of the day. Usually he sleeps in my room for part of the night. He wants the interaction with me but at the same time he loves to sleep in his own hammock. Quite often at night, he will look at me very seriously, and then his hand will touch my face. He will examine my nose and mouth with his hand. He will run his fingers over my ears. He is trying to identify me. The question is, do I treat them like children or do they treat me like a monkey?
Mañiña has one bad habit. When he has the free run of my room, he does an examination of my waste bin. Anything edible or smelling of food will attract his attention. Chances are it will end up in his mouth. He reminds me of the old women one often sees in fruit markets. You see them going around the back of all the stalls collecting bruised or substandard fruit and vegetables. I used to call them ‘Bruised fruit Mary’.

My bottom picture is of Schatov, from the set I took of the Champejak. The top one is Mañiña doing his 'bruise fruit Mary'.

Home sweet home

This was an irresistible photo call for Schatov, Rosita and MonaLisa. I caught them on their front porch, relaxing in the early afternoon. MonaLisa has had a soft spot for Schatov ever since he arrived. Moreover, Rosita is fond of Schatov. Three very good friends. The little house is small but some how, all three manage to spend siesta inside. Originally it was owned by Abu the capuchin lady that lived with us whilst she was awaiting release to the wild. She donated the house when she departed.

We are eating Champedak

The Christmas/ New Year festival is over and gradually the world has begun to resume its normal rhythm. People turn in for work and I now spend more time with the children rather than scrubbing their floors. This month we are expecting a new lady arrival, Lala who will be coming from Caracas. When we have more information about her I will mail it. We are expecting Marco to leave us and go to live in Manrique with Gabriela, Vicky and Ronnie. I shall miss his cheeky play but we plan to visit him often. He has lived here with Sussy since he was very small but now he needs younger female company.
Cañaote is a Botanic Garden. We specialize in rare fruits. Monkeys love fruit, and above all, love variation in their diet. We often have something rare and delicious to add to their meals and they find it irresistible. This week our Jackfruit X Champedak hybrid is ready for picking. For those of you who have a botanic leaning, (Artocarpus heterophyllus X Artocarpus integer).
We have some pictures of the children enjoying the Champedak. First is Rosita and Schatov, always good friends. Then Schatov saying 'Hey that’s my piece'. Finally, Mañiña really enjoying the fruit.

Note. This plant was deliberately hybridized by Singapore Botanic Garden. Because it was so successful, they distributed the seed worldwide. We obtained our seed from Australia.
You can see the children eating the Arils, the fleshy part around the seed.

Machismo?

Howler Monkeys have unique personalities. Totto has some very pronounced characteristics. I have always realized that he is very macho. However, he shows considerable deference to his wife, Sophie. He will always allow her to eat first and take the choice pieces of a meal. Just recently, I have begun to recognize some interesting traits in Totto’s behavior. When I place food in front of him, he will not accept it whilst I look on. He waits until I have apparently departed. Then he hurries to accept the offering. This applies to both main meals and tidbits. He is very fond of biscuits, cheese, and any kind of meat. He would rather see Sophie steal his favorite snack than be seen to accept a gift directly from me. I am at a loss to explain this behavior except in terms of Machismo. If anyone can offer another explanation, I will be very interested to hear it. His attitude to Sophie is atypical. Normally the leader eats first and the females get the leftovers and the kids get the banana skins. Could it be that he is treating me as the leader? Our picture is of course Totto, taken yesterday.

Christmas comes but once a year.

The Christmas period has been a hectic one for me at Cañaote. For about two weeks now we have had no staff working with the monkeys. All the scrubbing and cleaning, bedding changing, dish washing and food preparation has been done by me. I should be exhausted but secretly I have enjoyed every minute.
There seems to be little thought about the little Jesus, born in a Shepard's manger with a crib for a bed. I am saddened by this attitude. The heavy commercialization of Christmas goes on with little regard for the simplicity of life that our Lord taught us. But enough of my complaining. All the children are well except Nancy, who has a bad cold. She is suspicious of the medicine and has been difficult to treat. Even wiping her nose angers Emma, who thinks I am trying to take Nancy away from her. In spite of the lack of staff, the monkeys have celebrated the Christmas and New Year in fine style. All have had a turkey dinner and Christmas pudding. Marco has been outside his enclosure quite often over the last few days but doesn't need much encouragement to return to his house.
Today’s photograph shows Totto looking out of his window. Shortly we are to construct a new home for him and Sophie, inside the security fence. His human family has furnished the substantial funds needed for this big job. We are very grateful for their help in this task.

Christmas Day 2006 has come and gone.

Christmas day 2006 has come and gone. So you might wonder what the children of Cañaote think about that. All the scientific treaties on Howler monkeys will tell you with no equivocation that howlers eat leaves, nuts and fruit, with occasional insects and eggs. All our children had a Christmas dinner, not dissimilar to my own. Vegetables, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, peas. Meats, Turkey, ham, and chicken. Added, a little salt free white cheese. This was followed by a rich plate of mixed fruits. This morning the plates were bare. Every morsel consumed. Someone is teaching them bad habits. It was an enjoyable day and I wish I could have shared it with you. I took my own dinner around the enclosures and shared the time with them all. Mañiña, not happy with just his own plate, stole from mine and so did Schatov. MonaLisa helped Rosita choose the best bits. Emma and Nancy grabbed all they could in fistfuls and disappeared into their house before coming back for more. Marco as usual dropped his plate on the floor. Somehow a little bit of dirt is a great condiment for Marco. Totto and Sophie sat on their marble table and carefully examined what was being offered before launching into their Christmas dinner. Sussy sat with elegance and sophistication at her table. Unlike the younger ones, she eats with her hands, not directly into the mouth like cats and dogs. She pawed through the dinner and started with the turkey, then the chicken, then the cheese, leaving the vegetables until last. Altogether, it was a fun time and they enjoyed it. Something different for me to sit with them for my own meal. They understood this I am sure.
The photographs need little introduction. The big picture is the gang. The smaller is Sussy enjoying a day with her human mother.

Chalk and Cheese

I have posted several times on the personality difference found among howler monkeys. Nowhere can you find such pronounced examples as Nancy (left), and Rosita. Nancy is slightly overweight and quick to find fault. Rosita is slim and tolerant. Rosita is friendly and trusting. Nancy is suspicious and touchy. Rosita readily comes to hand with an inquisitive expression, she enjoys interaction with humans and loves sitting on shoulders. Nancy approaches very tentatively, ready to draw back at the slightest sign that you might want to hold her. Nancy displays the group mentality. If it appears that one of the others is being attacked she will puff up and take an aggressive stance. She will also do this if it appears that attention is being shown to another in the group. This of course is quite dangerous. Once the others see this behavior, they all get ready for battle and further contact is then impossible. At this point, my advice to anyone is ‘get out’. It is difficult to explain the difference between Rosita and Nancy. I believe it can be traced back to events of the capture. Howlers have long memories, for example, Rosita still does not allow Louis Angel to approach her.

Happy Birthday Marco.

We can never be sure of the actual date of birth of our monkeys. They come from diverse sources. Some come fresh from the forest. Unscrupulous people, bent on profit and not the wellbeing of their captive, captured them. Some come from good human homes, where they have lived subsequent to their capture and sale. Therefore, we only have the faintest notion of the actual date of birth. We give all our children a birthday but this relates to the day that they first came to live with us. Their age of course is a different matter. We rely on what we are told by the human donor for that information.
Marco came to us three years ago today. He was a tiny fellow weighing only 500 grams. After a few weeks of living close to us, we decided that Sussy would make a good foster mother. After all she had brought many fine, strong children into the world, like Teddy and Bungy. The idea went well and Sussy accepted him as her own child. From that time and for nearly a year he traveled everywhere on Sussy’s back. He has grown rapidly. He is now a large and powerful monkey. In spite of his great strength, he retains his childhood naughtiness. Hats can go flying as soon as the unaware enter his enclosure. He is playful but not aggressive, although care has to exercised in handling him because he does not know his own strength. He is a healthy and vigorous person. He plays on his walkways, swings and ropes hard all day. He is an incredible athlete. We have a plan for him to go to live with Vicky and Ronnie at Manrique, the home of our friend Gabriela. There I am sure he will be fulfilled and become a father. We will not lose Marco, we love him too much but Gabriela will, I am sure allow us to visit him often. His fulfillment as a male monkey is more important than our sentiment.

Schatov now has a wider circle of friends

Schatov came to us from Caracas, almost a year ago. Since then his caring human family have visited often and are almost in daily contact with us here at Cañaote by internet. He has had a few changes since he has been here. First, he lived with Emma in a house and garden that we built especially for him. This enclosure was outside our security fence. Because of security considerations, we decided to construct a new house and garden for them within our security fence. During this time, Emma was gradually reaching maturity, whilst Schatov is still a young fellow. He is too big for her to mother but not adult enough yet for her to consider him as a husband. Female howlers reach maturity much younger than the boys do. Girls usually mature at about three years and the boys at four to five. The new enclosure has a large garden with two tall mature trees and extends to the corridor surrounding the house. This is a large area and able to support a number of monkeys. With the emergence of Emma’s adulthood, we decided to give her the chance to foster Nancy. This has been very successful. It has also given Schatov a wider circle of friends, because MonaLisa and Rosita also share that enclosure. They interact well together, Schatov, Mañiña, MonaLisa and Rosita, Emma and Nancy. He is particularly popular with Rosita and Nancy. There are occasional squabbles between Mañiña and Schatov but that is to be expected and they are not serious quarrels. Largely the two boys play well together, vying with each other for the most daring swing on the ropes or leap onto the hammock. The enclosure backs onto the window of my bedroom and late afternoon Schatov is allowed into our house. Just before our dinner, MonaLisa and Rosita are also allowed the freedom of the house. Mañiña is allowed in much later because he is so boisterous that it would cause too much chaos at our mealtime. But he is not left out. Finally, MonaLisa and Schatov with Rosita, settle down to sleep with David. Mañiña has his supper with me and drops off to sleep across my feet.
My picture shows Schatov in the new enclosure. Examine the photograph carefully and you will see the beautiful sheen on his coat. He is a healthy and happy monkey.

Totto said 'What is for breakfast dad?'

I have just finished reading a new book by Michael Crichton called ‘Next’. I have been one of his fans for many years. I find his writing thought provoking if not always the accepted view. His book on climate change, ‘State of fear’, was so mind blowing as I read it just two weeks before the terrible Tsunami tragedy. It almost seemed prophetic. This is a book of fiction but so full of real life drama. Michael poses the question. Is science inventing climate change in order to bolster the income of research companies and universities looking for funding? He lectures widely and puts his alternative view very strongly.
So it was with some trepidation that I opened his new book ‘Next’. ‘Next’ is about stem cells. “Next’ is about cross genetic experiments and is illustrated by a talking monkey that is so human that he wears clothes and goes to school, quite apart from his ability to talk and think. A thinking talking and mathematically talented parrot joins him. Between them, they make this into a fascinating drama, with high finance, learned professors on the make, and kidnapping all thrown into the exciting tale. These animals have been the subject of stem cell experimentation.
So why talk about it on Forget me not?
The news these days is full of claims that some scientists are making for stem cell technology. Not many days go by without claims that cells injected into the brain, the heart etc cause amazing and healing results. Men walk again after paralyzing strokes and Jesus Christ is again on the earth. It is good that Michael has published his book at this time. Perhaps as a timely warning. Test and vigorous clinical trials, with exhaustive requirement of proof are needed. The acquisitive and the unscrupulous must weeded out from the genuine seekers of the advancement of science and the health and happiness of all creatures on this earth. That includes the animals that they use for experimentation. The senseless use of animals to test trivial products must be stopped.
What kind of answer is that? Good question. I live with ten monkeys. I rub shoulders with talking parrots, this is my life and theirs. Is it going to change? Are they going to start talking to me intelligently? Already I know that the Howler monkeys have a language, which appears to be universal. Wherever our monkeys come from, they make the same sounds in response to their mood, happiness or fear. For me this book comes very close to home.

Colgate eat your heart out.

In our picture today, you can see MonaLisa and Mañiña arguing about a toothbrush. MonaLisa has just cleaned her teeth. Just off picture, Rosita is demanding her turn and Mañiña is getting very pushy about it. They are not taught to do this and beyond the initial shock of the strong peppermint flavor they seem enjoy cleaning their teeth. This is not just knawing the brush. They really do give their teeth a scrub. Given the chance, all our monkeys like brushing. MonaLisa will reject a brush that does not have toothpaste on it. This is one of the imponderables about domesticated Howler monkeys. I can understand why they like to use the loo. In the forest, they position themselves on a branch overlooking a stream or river for defecation. It is no great step from a branch to a loo seat. They are over water. I do not understand why they love to clean their teeth with a toothbrush. I think it must be more than just mimicry although I cannot think of a parallel in nature except that they use their beards like a brush, yes even the ladies have beards, to mark out their territory with an enzyme in their spittle.

There is no place like home.

Gabriela, Sussy’s human mother, came to visit a few days ago and noticed that Sussy was developing some patches of hair loss in her coat. Her general health has been a little concern for a while now. She has lost some firmness in her leg muscles and is looking her sixteen years. Even so, she is attentive, very active and eats well. Gabriela took some hair samples to a clinic in San Carlos for examination. The answer came back that she had a parasitic infection in her coat. Today Gabriela returned with medicines and vitamins. We shampooed Sussy with the medicated shampoo. We were impressed by her dignity. She was very calm and allowed us to bath her without complaint. One of my pictures shows her after the wash with Gabriela. To avoid re-infection, we prepared another enclosure for her that had been recently painted and spring-cleaned. She has been inspecting and enjoying the exploration most of the afternoon. Her new dwelling is actually the original house that we built some years ago for her. She has a cute little cottage with a green roof. Her dinning area has a ceramic table, a clean and comfortable place to eat. There are two natural and mature trees in this area. She has many walkways and ropes to keep her active and interested and there are plenty of good places for her to lie in the sun, which is what she really loves to do. She can also see across the way to the garden where Totto and Sophie spend their day.
In the meantime, Marco took advantage of all the action surrounding Sussy to leave his enclosure and head for the trees. He spent most of the afternoon experimenting with different kinds of leaves. He is a great athlete and the sound of him crashing through the trees punctuated our work with Sussy. He tired towards sundown and returned to his house. A little bribery with a white bread roll finally convinced him that there is no place like home.