Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part 1

2012-01-18T23:48:00.000-08:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Adam’s parents Echo and Apollo were rescued from a research facility. When they arrived they were traumatized, and injured both mentally and physically- missing fingers, toes and Echo also had a torn lower lip. We provided them with a home that was free from terror and exploitation. Their physical injuries healed and we helped them overcome some of their emotional wounds as well. Over time, Echo and Apollo began to thrive socially- forming a close bond. We knew their rehabilitation was successful when they became parents, giving birth to Adam on January 20, 1998- two years after their arrival. Adam lived with his parents for several years, helping to raise his younger siblings when they were born, just like tamarins would do in the wild. This is an opportunity that is often stolen from monkeys born in many research facilities, where the young are taken from their parents as infants. Adam learned many important social behaviors from his parents. When he was paired with Nadine, he knew how to be a partner and a father. Adam helped raise his children, carrying them around on his back, and sharing equally in the parenting responsibilities.

Adam is a Cotton top tamarin, a species that has been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN RedList. Over the last 18 years, their population has been reduced by over 80%, and is continuing to decline. With a species on the brink of extinction, each individual is especially sacred, and every new birth is a miracle. Cotton top tamarins who can successfully raise offspring, such as Adam, give us hope for the future of the species.

Please help us continue to provide monkeys like Adam a home where they can live with others of their own kind, and provide hope for the survival of their species. Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

The monkeys at Pacific Primate Sanctuary had a great holiday season! Humans aren’t the only primates that enjoy special occasions, so we made sure the monkeys were included in all of the celebrations. We decked the halls with bright colorful lights, and the monkeys watched the visual display in wonder each evening, before snuggling in to bed. Sanctuary Volunteers cooked special meals of warm oatmeal and baked apples, along with slices of freshly picked citrus fruit. Small packages of dried fruits and nuts were wrapped up in ti-leaf “wrapping paper”.

Every monkey received one of these presents to unwrap, simulating his or her natural foraging behavior. The presents were a huge success, and the monkeys had a great time tearing open their packages to get to the delicious treats inside.

Li, a friend of Intern Linda’s, volunteered his time and skills to benefit the monkeys while he was on Maui. Li drilled holes in the bottom of several nestboxes, making them easier for our caregivers to clean. He also cut and drilled PPS bamboo to make two new bamboo bridges. Sanctuary Volunteers later put these wonderful new bridges into two enclosures so the monkeys can enjoy them.
Thank you Li for your contributions!

Jason examines his new bamboo bridge

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
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You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part 2

2012-01-18T23:40:00.000-08:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS

Spider Monkey Dedication Ceremony

Spider monkey brothers, Carlos and Montana, spent 16 years at tourist attractions. They lived in a small cage, on display 24 hours a day, enduring a steady stream of sightseers. In 2010, we gave them refuge, and brought them to the peace and quiet of Pacific Primate Sanctuary. They were placed in temporary housing, with the hope that we would be able to build them a new enclosure. Plans were drawn up for a 40-foot enclosure. It would be filled with jungle plants and would allow Carlos and Montana the space to express their natural behaviors; brachiating, exploring, and foraging.

However, new enclosures are expensive, and Pacific Primate Sanctuary does not receive any federal funding; we rely on the donations of compassionate individuals to support and sustain us. We are fortunate to have an amazing assembly of angels, and we appealed to them to help us create a new home for the spider monkey brothers. One Miracle Worker in particular has been there for Pacific Primate Sanctuary from the beginning, supporting us in our life-saving work. Her generous donations have made so much possible for Pacific Primate Sanctuary!

PPS Board Members and Supporters at the

Spider Monkey Enclosure Dedication Ceremony

Joani has contributed to the creation of the Sanctuary Facility, the Capuchin enclosures, the Extension and sponsored our Internship Program. When we began construction on the Spider Monkey enclosures, once again, this compassionate supporter stepped forward, funding almost the entire project! On January 2, 2012 the Sanctuary hosted a ceremony in honor of her vital partnership over the past 20 years, dedicating the Spider Monkey Enclosures to her.

WORDS OF APPRECIATION

Thank you for doing what you are doing. I see how happy Carlos and Montana are and how they are enjoying their new enclosure. They will always have a special place in my hart because I used to take care of them…I am so glad they finally have a real home! —-Elaine

What a wonderful privilege to have spent time as a Pacific Primate Sanctuary volunteer…Each monkey has left an impression on my heart and together have taught me to take more care with this world…The Sanctuary is an amazing place full of love and light. — Past PPS Volunteer, Stacy

HOW TO HELP THE MONKEYS

Did you know that you can earn money for Pacific Primate Sanctuary just by doing things that you already do anyway? The average person can easily raise $50 for the Sanctuary over the course of the year using GoodSearch.com, GoodShop.com and GoodDining.com! GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo based search engine. After designating Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your charity of choice, every time you do an Internet search, using GoodSearch.com, a penny will be donated to the Sanctuary. If you search the web 6 times each day, by the end of the year you will have raised $20! GoodShop is a network of popular online stores. If you designate Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your charity of choice, when you shop at any of these stores using the GoodShop.com network, the store will donate a portion of your purchase to PPS at no extra cost to you! Plus, there are over 100,000 coupons available for you to use to help you save money. The newest addition to GoodSearch.com is the GoodDining program. If you eat at one of thousands of participating restaurants, part of what you pay for the meal will be donated. All of these programs are easy, free and turn simple everyday actions into a way to help the Sanctuary and make the world a better place.

For more details, please watch this informative video online: http://www.goodsearch.com/getstarted.aspx?viewType=RV

Volunteer Your Time
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, volunteering your time and skills, please e-mail us at pps@aloha.net

We need Animal Caregivers, Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers. Retirees are welcome!

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:
Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

Welcome Mary!
Our newest Intern, Mary, has arrived. She has begun her training, and is already showing great skill and an enthusiasm to learn.

Mary Writes:

I can offer Pacific Primate Sanctuary my animal care experience from working with a wide variety of farm animals all of my life and from my experience working with exotic animals in a zoo environment. My goal for this internship is to acquire as much knowledge as possible regarding New World primates.
I have always wanted to work with these species and hope to use this opportunity to fulfill that dream.
I believe Pacific Primate Sanctuary can provide me with a new perspective regarding animal care and more specifically a vast amount of knowledge regarding New World primate care in a naturalistic setting. I also hope to gain experience involving primate medical care.

I do not believe there is any other place like Pacific Primate Sanctuary and I hope to absorb every aspect of the daily sanctuary operations.

Welcome Mary, We are so excited to have you on our Team!

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part 3

2012-01-18T23:27:00.000-08:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Annabel
Diets of wild spider monkeys

Spider monkeys are frugivorous, with 90% of their diet consisting of fruit and nuts. They are a classic example of a frugivorous primate and are often considered to be “ripe fruit specialists”. Spider monkeys compliment this heavily frugivorous diet with other plant parts such as leaves (mainly young leaves), flowers, seeds, aerial roots, palm hearts, and the liquid endosperm or “milk” from inside immature palm fruits. In some areas, spider monkeys were also reported consuming other items, including a few species of invertebrates (mainly caterpillars, meliponid bees, and termites), fungi, decaying wood, soil from mineral licks, and arboreal termite nests. Spider monkeys obtain most of their water requirements directly from the fruits, leaves, and flowers they consume. They will occasionally drink water directly from tree holes, arboreal bromeliads, and small streams around mineral licks.

Carlos and Montana are provided with

a wide variety of fresh fruits

We try to mimic this diet with our Spider monkeys, Carlos and Montana. We give them a varied diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, and a protein (usually nuts), twice a day. We also use specially designed primate biscuits that provide them with all the nutrients they need to remain healthy. Carlos and Montana drink from a tap that they operate themselves. We also give them browse regularly that includes mulberry branches, and ginger flower branches. This gives them a chance to work for their food and replicate behaviors that would be displayed in the wild. Giving them hard un-cracked nuts, such as hazelnuts, provides them with a challenge and keeps their minds occupied.

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behaviour, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic: Intern Linda
Comparative Aspects of the Social Suppression of Reproduction in Female Marmosets and Tamarins

A Family of Cotton Top Tamarins at PPS

In the social structure of marmosets and tamarins, a hierarchy is seen consisting of the alpha pair and their subordinates. Though marmosets and tamarins share many similarities, there are also many differences between the genera. Reproductive suppression plays a very important role in social dynamics and for the species collectively (younger females, though sexually mature, do not reproduce). Reproductive suppression is beneficial because it produces a communal rearing system and subordinates acquire valuable offspring rearing experience.

Below is a table comparing the similarities and differences of reproductive suppression between two species that are found at Pacific Primate Sanctuary, white tufted eared marmosets (common marmoset) and cotton top tamarins.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

“If we all give up hope and do nothing, well then indeed there is no hope. It (the Earth) will be helped by all of us, every one of us taking action of some sort.”
-Jane Goodall

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 70 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 12, Part 1

2011-12-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from all the monkeys

and their caregivers at Pacific Primate Sanctuary.

May we all have peace and plenty throughout the New Year.

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Happy Birthday Carlos and Montana!
Carlos and Montana are spider monkey brothers, who have turned 20 and 21 respectively this year. We don’t have the exact birth dates for Carlos and Montana, so we celebrate their lives at the end of each year.

Brothers Carlos and Montana come in close for a hug

In March 2010, these two brothers were given refuge from a tourist attraction, where they had been living on display for 16 years. Initially, Carlos and Montana were wary, however they soon became very close to all of their new caregivers, and seemed to enjoy the peace and quiet here at the Sanctuary. Upon arrival at PPS, Carlos and Montana were placed in temporary housing, with plans to build new enclosures custom designed for them. Construction on the new enclosures began in December 2010.

Soon after the construction started, we began working with Carlos and Montana to become comfortable entering a carrier crate in preparation for the move. We were so excited when Carlos and Montana were moved into their home in June 2011.

The new enclosures are 40 feet long, and full of lush jungle plants. Carlos and Montana have a full 360-degree view; their enclosure allows them to see the orchard, palms and a bamboo grove. Finally, they are able to brachiate, hand over hand across the branches, expressing their natural movement for the first time in their lives. They forage and eat the leaves from plants growing in their enclosure. Their fur has grown thick and lustrous and they spend their days in the sun, sitting high up, looking out over their green environment.

Please help us continue to provide monkeys like Carlos and Montana a home where they can live free from pain and exploitation at human hands. Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

PPS INTERNSHIP

When Mary arrives she will be

living in this beautiful yurt!

We are pleased to announce the selection of our newest Resident Intern, Mary, who will be arriving in January. She recently graduated from the University of Michigan, with a Bachelors degree in Zoology. Growing up on a farm, Mary has a long history of caring for animals. Additionally, she spent the last 2 summers interning at the Denver Zoo, working with a wide variety of animals. Mary is passionate about working with primates, and is very excited about the opportunity to join us here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. Her references speak very highly of her, describing her as hardworking, trustworthy, responsible, and someone who really stands out from the rest. We are so excited for Mary to join Team PPS!

Mary Writes:
Expanding my exotic animal skills with a focus on New World primate care is a rare opportunity Pacific Primate Sanctuary could provide me, as well as the opportunity to broaden my awareness regarding conservation of primate habitats. For as long as I can remember I have been interested in working with primates and feel this internship would help me to gain valuable knowledge and the hands on experience necessary to further my dream of a career caring for primates.

Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Resident Internship is a unique immersion program, facilitating learning about New World primates and animal sanctuary management on an intimate, in depth, all encompassing level. When Mary arrives, her training will begin with Primate Care and Facility Maintenance. During this module she will learn how to provide daily care to the 69 monkeys living here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary.

Intern Annabel prepares

medications for the monkeys

Once she has mastered the skills in this portion, she will move on to the Emergency Care Training Module. Mary will be trained in a wide variety of medical care procedures- including special individual care, how to administer subcutaneous fluids, calculate medication dosages, and check vital signals, just to name a few.

In the third module, Interns are trained in Sanctuary Management. Our current Interns, Linda and Annabel, are engaged in this area of their Internship training right now. The goal of Sanctuary Management is to become competent in teaching new volunteers, updating PPS Manual documents, and learning about colony management (primate management, pairing, and transfer).

Intern Linda

In colony management, the special needs of each primate must be understood and considered in order to select and create the best possible environment, pairing, location within the Sanctuary, and enclosure set-up. Right now, we have been focusing on colony management, since several of the monkeys needed to be re-located. Annabel and Linda have been delving into the intricacies of colony management and have gained a good understanding of the importance of appropriate placement and social groupings. They have been moving monkeys into more suitable locations, and we have seen a real difference in the overall atmosphere at the Sanctuary! Many of the marmosets and tamarins are much calmer, and seem quite content with their new living arrangement.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 12, Part 2

2011-12-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

SANCTUARY NEWS

This past month, several monkeys have been moved into new enclosures, creating a more harmonious environment for all the animals in our care.

Leticia was living in a specially designed portable enclosure to accommodate the decreasing mobility of her mate Iktomi. Recently, Iktomi was removed from his enclosure to receive specialized daily care, as the paralysis in his arms and legs has become debilitating for him. Leticia, who is very active and mobile, was moved into a large indoor/outdoor enclosure. She has been exploring every nook and cranny of her outdoor space, and is enjoying basking in the sunlight.

Abraham is a black tufted eared marmoset, who had been living in an outdoor enclosure in the extension. The PPS Extension was built last year to provide an outdoor environment for monkeys who had been living in indoor portables. The enclosures were designed for young, active monkeys to allow them to experience a more natural environment, including access to lush jungle plants and tropical rainforest weather. However, we noticed that Abraham, who is an older monkey, was getting cold during the wet winter mornings. We moved Abraham into a larger enclosure in the Sanctuary main building. These enclosures have both an indoor and an outdoor area, which are perfect for elderly monkeys. Abraham now spends the chilly winter mornings and rainy days snug indoors, and then moves outdoors when the days are warm and bright.

This month we mourn the passing of our beloved Miranda.
White faced capuchin, Miranda, passed away on 11/21.
Lucy and Erin were holding her in their arms when she died. We have buried her next to her granddaughter Viola and have planted many beautiful plants, including the yellow ginger she loved, around her grave. Miranda touched the heart of all those who cared for her.

Her past caregivers write:
I am so sorry to hear about Miranda, she was such a gentle soul. You gave her a wonderful home for such a long time, with all the love and care she deserved... -Intern Tez

My heart is sad with the news of Miranda, but also grateful and joyful for the life she was able to have at PPS. Thank you for the amazing things you do! -Volunteer Stacie

HOW TO HELP THE MONKEYS

Gifts for the Monkeys
The Holiday season is upon us; it is a time of year to celebrate with friends and family- a time when joy, compassion, and the spirit of generosity abound. Below are ways you can help Pacific Primate Sanctuary during this season of giving.

Gift Contributions
Many of us are sick of the holiday buying binge and are searching for truly meaningful gifts. We would like to offer a gift giving opportunity:
Gift Contributions can be made to Pacific Primate Sanctuary in the name of anyone on your holiday list. Your Gift Recipients will receive a beautiful Contribution Certificate showing you have made a donation in their name, along with information about PPS. This meaningful and significant gift helps to feed and care for threatened, endangered and distressed primates. Please see our website for the PPS Holiday Gift Contribution Form. http://pacificprimate.org/help.htm

GoodShop
Use GoodShop.com for all your holiday shopping; not only will you avoid the crowded malls, but you will also be supporting the monkeys! After designating Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your nonprofit of choice, you can shop at more than 900 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the Sanctuary! When you select a store, you will automatically be redirected to a coupon page for that store. PLEASE use GoodShop this holiday season!

GoodDining.com
GoodSearch.com has a brand new way to help support Pacific Primate Sanctuary with a program called GoodDining. Enroll online with GoodDining.com, and then search through their list of restaurants. When you eat at any of the designated restaurants, using a registered credit or debit card, a percentage of your total bill will be donated to Pacific Primate Sanctuary at no extra charge to you! Sign up today at https://www.goodsearch.com/gooddining.aspx

Volunteer Your Time
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, volunteering your time and skills, please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We need Animal Caregivers, Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers. Retirees are welcome!

How to Donate Directly
Our work depends on donations, and we deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:
Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708

Your contributions allow us to provide a home for monkeys such as this critically endangered cotton top tamarin who was rescued from a research laboratory.

PPS WEBSITE UPDATES

We have been continuing to update our website! Check out our newly revised Programs page: http://www.pacificprimate.org/programs.htm

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 12, Part 3

2011-12-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Linda
Marmosets and Tamarins
Chapter 4: Making Sense out of Scents

Scent marking plays a crucial role socially and sexually in marmosets and tamarins. At PPS, we see many of the monkeys scent marking their conspecifics, food, and their environment. These chemical signals are released through urine, feces, genital discharge, saliva, and specialized glands.

The three most common markings are circumgenital, suprapubic, and sternal marking. These are named by their location and which gland the chemical is secreted from. Circumgenital marking is also known as sit rubbing and has the lowest intensity. This is performed by rubbing their genitals against the substrate and is often seen with marmosets marking their food. Suprapubic marking is also termed pull rubbing; this is very common in Cotton-top tamarins and is performed by pulling themselves forward with the hands. Lastly, sternal marking involves the primates using chest glands to mark their environment.

The monkeys here at the sanctuary are seen scent marking frequently and these chemical signals are of great importance in their lives.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Special Topic: Intern Caroline
Complete Capuchin
Chapter 12. Erotic Artists. Sexual behavior, forms of courtship and mating.

This chapter discusses the significance of behaviors that capuchins exhibit during sexual interactions. These behaviors, such as touch and run, or an extended arm are sexual interactions exhibited amongst capuchins during foreplay. However, here at PPS, these common sexual behaviors are not often seen between the capuchins but are more likely to be displayed as a threat or warning.

- Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press.

Special Topic: Intern Annabel
Primate Ecology and Conservation
Current issues and new approaches in primate ecology and conservation

Studies have found that social behaviors in primates are influenced by habitat, producing differences even between the same species. This has led to numerous behavioral studies taking place in the field, in the labs, and in captivity. Such studies are essential for contributing to the explanation of patterns of social behavior observed, and for the conservation of primate populations. Conservation is vital now, as human destruction of natural ecosystems has escalated to the extent that it threatens the long-term survival of humans as well as of other animals. As primates and humans are so closely related, the same conservation strategies can be applied. Sustainable management of habitats and ecological systems can ensure the survival of many different species. Habitats need to be restored and preserved long term to ensure the stability of primate populations.

Critically Endangered Cotton Top Tamarin

The primate species that we have here face these very same problems in the wild, habit loss through deforestation. Cotton- top tamarins are listed as Critically Endangered and this is due, in part, to habitat loss. If we can find a way to protect the forests and preserve the habitats then these animals may have a chance at survival in the wild. If the rate of decline continues, soon a vast majority of species listed as ‘Endangered’ will only exist in captivity.

-Else, J.G., Lee, P.C., Primate Ecology and Conservation. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1986

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” — St. Francis of Assisi

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 70 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 11, Part 1

2011-11-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Meet Miranda

Miranda on Arrival

Miranda after 5 months at PPS

Miranda’s life began in the wild; she was born in a rainforest in Central America. While she was still quite young, she was captured by animal dealers- most likely by killing her mother. She was taken from her family and the life she knew, and shipped to a brokerage in the U.S. Miranda was then sold to an entrepreneur in Hawaii, for a failed tourist attraction. Miranda, along with two other Capuchins, spent the next year of their lives isolated in very small, separate cages. Miranda became increasingly distressed, and soon began to mutilate herself- plucking out all of her fur. It was in this state that Pacific Primate Sanctuary found out about Miranda, when we were told that she would be euthanized the next day unless we took her. Naturally, we took Miranda in and provided her with a new home. When she first arrived, she was emaciated; her muscles were atrophied from being confined. She had no fur on her arms leg and tail and she was frightened and traumatized. So far in her life, humans had been a source of terror and pain. Miranda deserved care, compassion and love- and she finally received it here. She was offered fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and monkey biscuits. With the help of generous supporters, we built her a new enclosure, with space to move around and branches and ropes to climb on. We rescued the other two monkeys, who were being held at the same venue, and Miranda now had companionship. Over time, her fur grew back, and she grew stronger, and became more sure of herself. Miranda has now been here for 20 years.

Miranda Today

She spends her days exploring her jungle enclosure, turning over every leaf searching for bugs. She loves to feel the warm sun on her back, and the breeze ruffle through her fur. Miranda was given the opportunity to care for and raise two children, as well as a grandchild. Now, when we go up to her enclosure, Miranda rushes down to greet us, and gently takes food from our hands while making contented sounds.

Please help us continue to provide Miranda, and other abused primates, a home where they can live free from pain and exploitation at human hands. Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Encouraging Natural Foraging

Often, monkeys will hang upside down

from branches to reach the bamboo feeders.

Their feet have opposable thumbs,

and clawlike nails which allow them

to grip onto branches to access

treats that other animals cannot get to.

The monkeys have been enjoying bamboo feeder enrichment this past month. A bamboo tube is stuffed with leaves or hay. Small treats are then tucked inside the hay. The feeders are suspended from branches with in their enclosure. The marmosets and tamarins must use their small, nimble fingers to dig through holes in the bamboo tube searching for the treats hidden within. This delightful enrichment encourages the monkeys to use their natural foraging behaviors.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 11, Part 2

2011-11-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Website Updates
We have made several changes to our website over the last couple of months. We updated our Volunteer page- adding many new pictures, a fillable volunteer application, and many new inspiring quotes from recent volunteers. Please check out our new Volunteer page: http://www.pacificprimate.org/volunteer.htm
We have also posted all of the 2011 Primate Update E-Newsletters. Please feel free to read through past editions at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/talk.php

Volunteer Expo

Students signing up to receive more

information about the monkeys

We participated in the 2011 Volunteer Expo that was put on by the County of Maui Volunteer Center. We were able to raise awareness for Pacific Primate Sanctuary, as well as speak with potential new volunteers.

PPS Volunteers at the Volunteer Expo:

Lucy, Erin, Judi, and Dr. Bud- recipient of the

Volunteer of the quarter award from Maui County

HOW TO HELP THE MONKEYS

‘Tis the Season of Giving
The Holiday season is upon us; it is a time of year to celebrate with friends and family- a time when joy, compassion, and the spirit of generosity abound. Below are ways you can help Pacific Primate Sanctuary during this season of giving and goodwill.

GoodDining.com
GoodSearch.com has a brand new way to help support Pacific Primate Sanctuary with a program called GoodDining. Enroll online with GoodDining.com, and then search through their list of restaurants. When you eat at any of the designated restaurants, using a registered credit or debit card, a percentage of your total bill will be donated to Pacific Primate Sanctuary! Sign up today at https://www.goodsearch.com/gooddining.aspx

GoodShop
Use GoodShop.com for all your holiday shopping. After designating Pacific Primate Sanctuary as your nonprofit of choice, you can shop at more than 900 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to the Sanctuary! For example: if you shop on eBay using Goodshop.com, 25-35% of eBay revenue will be donated to PPS! GoodShop also provides many valuable coupons to use towards your purchases. When you select a store, you will automatically be redirected to a coupon page for that store. PLEASE use GoodShop this holiday season!

Gift Contributions
Many of us are sick of the commercialism of the holiday buying binge and are searching for truly meaningful gifts. We would like to offer a unique gift giving opportunity:

Gift Contributions can be made to Pacific Primate Sanctuary in the name of anyone on your holiday list. Your Gift Recipients will receive a beautiful Contribution Certificate showing you have made a donation in their name, along with information about PPS. This thoughtful and significant gift helps to feed and care for threatened, endangered and distressed primates. You may access the Gift Contribution Form online here: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help.htm

Volunteer Your Time
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, volunteering your time and skills, please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We need Animal Caregivers, Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers. Retirees are welcome!

“Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood. But everyone has something to give.”— Barbara Bush (American first lady 1989-93)

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:
Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

Our current Interns- Caroline, Linda and Annabel, are a wonderful PPS Team! Caroline has been here the longest, and has become an excellent animal caretaker. She has a knack for staying on top of all the many details in the care of each individual monkey, making sure everyone gets what they need.

Our newest Intern, Annabel, recently completed the Emergency Care module of her training. During this training unit, Interns learn to increase their observational skills and identify the signs of illness. They learn how to provide specialized care, check vital signals, care for wounds, calculate medication dosages, administer subcutaneous fluids, and how to use an incubator, among other things. Annabel had never had the opportunity to provide medical care in the past, and was a very eager student. Congratulations to Annabel on graduating from this portion of her training!

Linda spreads the word about PPS

Intern Linda has now been here for 3 months, and is an extremely skilled animal caregiver. She is gaining a deep understanding and knowledge of each primate at the Sanctuary. Last month Linda was able to speak with the public about Pacific Primate Sanctuary at the Volunteer Expo, and did a great job representing Pacific Primate Sanctuary!

The monkeys are very fortunate to have such an exceptional team of caregivers!

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 11, Part 3

2011-11-21T15:09:00.000-08:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Annabel

A Study to Assess the Success of Integrating One Female White Tufted Marmoset into an Already Established Group of Two Female Individuals

Wild common marmosets (white-tufted eared marmosets) were long considered to be monogamous. Evidence from recent field studies show that they have a large social structure that revolves around a stable family unit consisting of a few dominant breeding individuals (Sussman 2000). Groups of common marmosets range in size from three to fifteen animals but usually average at around nine members (Ferrari 1989). Within the group three generations are usually encompassed, including one or two breeding females with one breeding male and related adults (possibly parents and/or siblings) and the breeding animals’ offspring (Ferrari and Digby 1996). Females in the group are closely related (mother, daughter, sister), while breeding males are distantly related, having immigrated from another group. When males are closely related to breeding females, they do not breed (Nievergelt et al. 2000). Unlike many other primate species, emigration (leaving the natal group) does not occur in adolescence in common marmosets. Instead, they remain in the groups until they are adults, then the males leave to find breeding females and thus establish their own family group (Ferrari & Digby 1996).

In captivity it is not always possible to sustain these family groups. Breeding in captivity is not always desired and so breeding pairs must be split up or the males have to be vasectomised. Additionally, enclosure space may not support large family units. If allowed to breed and remain in these family groups, careful planning must go to the new pairing of offspring. They do not have the option to search for mates themselves as they do in the wild, or have a place to flee if rejected, thus causing potentially dangerous situations.

Here at PPS, we have had great success with female pairings.

Oona and Little Bea, shown above,

have formed a close bond.

In a study conducted by a laboratory testing on common marmosets, it was found that pairs of unrelated females could be grouped and were able to live together. They studied 28 pairs and of the 28 they had a successful long lasting pairing of 80%. They found that pairs in which one of the females was sexually immature (less than 15 months) had a higher success rate than those in which both females were post pubertal. In conclusion the pairing of two unrelated female individuals is a safe practice (Buchanan-Smith et al 2003).

A study was conducted regarding reproductive suppression on subordinate female marmoset monkeys. This study followed a group of up to four female marmosets all living together in one enclosure. It showed that one dominant female ruled the group and that her dominance suppressed the ovulation and reproductive cycles of the non-dominant females. Within three days of forming these female only groups, a dominance hierarchy was established that consisted of a dominant (rank 1) female and her subordinates (ranks 2 and below). The ranking order was confirmed using behavioral analysis of recorded aggressive and submissive interactions between group members. Briefly, the highest-ranking female received most submissions and the least aggression and the lowest ranking female received most aggression and the least submissions (Barrett et al 1990). This study shows that it is possible to form groups of up to four unrelated females.

Introducing one female into an already established social group of two may be harder than establishing a totally new group. Visual contact is recommended as the first step. This is followed by pairing the new animal with each member of the group in a “neutral” environment for extended periods of time to allow the new member to form affinitive social relationships with all group members before final group introduction. The new group or pair should be closely observed during the initial stages, and at regular intervals thereafter to determine compatibility. Grooming, huddling, mating and play are behaviors indicative of compatibility, whilst aggression or signs of withdrawal, fear and inactivity suggest incompatibility. Attention should also be focused on possible loss of weight and deterioration of body condition possibly resulting from social incompatibility (Buchanan-Smith 2009).

In conclusion, research has shown that it is possible for groups of unrelated female marmosets to live together in groups larger than two. Integration of a new female into an already established social group is possible but can take a lot of time and patience. A dominance hierarchy will be formed within the group and so some signs of aggression are inevitable whilst individuals try to establish this hierarchy. This has been seen to take up to three days, after which the group should stabilize. It is impossible to predict a transition will be successful. A possible consequence of creating a multi-female group could be the splitting up of an already established group. However, the new individual is typically the lowest ranking female therefore the already established group should remain intact if the larger group does not work out. The success will solely depend on the individuals involved; however as previously stated a female only social group can be created.

References
-J. Barrett, D. H. Abbott and L. M. George. Extension of Reproductive Suppression by Pheromonal Cues in Subordinate Female Marmoset Monkeys, Callithrix jacchus 1990
-B Majolo*†, H M Buchanan-Smith and K Morris 2003 Factors Affecting the Successful Pairing of Unfamiliar Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Females: Preliminary Results
-Boinski S. Noon C, Stans S. Samudo R. Sammarco P. Hayes A 1994. The behavioral profile and environmental enrichment of a squirrel monkey colony. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 33 (4), 1-4.
-Dr. Hannah Buchannan Smith 2000 Considerations for the Housing and Handling Of New World Primates in the Laboratory
-Mittermeier RA, Rylands AB, Coimbra-Filho AF, da Fonseca GAB 1988. (eds). Ecology and Behavior of Neotropical Primates vol 2, Washington DC, World Wildlife Fund.
-Price EC, McGrew WC 1990. Cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus (o) oedipus) in a seminaturalistic captive colony. American Journal of Primatology 20, 1- 12 .
-Sheperdson D 1989a. Environmental Enrichment in Zoos: 2. RATEL 16, 68-73.

Special Topic: Intern Caroline
Complete Capuchin- Chapter 11-Living Together. Social interactions, relationships and social structure.

When working with primates it is sometimes difficult to decipher the difference between a welcome signal and a threat. This chapter was highly informative focusing on those indicators in Capuchin monkeys. For example, a grin or smile (jaw is closed, showing the upper and lower teeth row) which may look to us like a friendly sign, is actually not.

This mild threat expression can very quickly turn into a full on threat face (mouth wide open, showing canines and bark-like calls).

Next time you walk by the capuchin enclosure and Prospero offers you his hand think twice before extending yours. Take a minute to observe his body language, in particular his facial expressions and vocal noises.

- Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press.

Special Topic: Dawn
Spider Monkeys- Chapter 2: Morphology and evolution of spider monkey

Spider monkeys cast a distinct morphological silhouette – long scrawny arms and a snaky prehensile tail arching from a narrow pot-belly torso, topped by a small round head and blunt face, however, their energy rich diet allow the spider monkey anatomy to afford modestly enlarged brains. The anatomy of Spider monkeys closely resembles that of the Gibbon, a species considered to be among the most acrobatic arm-swingers in the world of primates.

The spine of the Spider monkey has several unique adaptations to suspensory locomotion, the most interesting of which enables the tail to twist, bend and curl up on itself, to be used in precision gripping and powerful clasping. Their acrobatic locomotive style of movement through the treetops gives them a distinct advantage over others when it comes to foraging for the best foods, with the capacity to extract an inordinate amount of its protein needs from fruit sources.

Research has expanded our sense of the uniqueness of Spider Monkeys and challenged long-held phylogenetic interpretations (Jones, 2004; Hartwig, 2005), but they have not altered the fundamental eco-morphological depiction of them as a ripe-fruit driven, upper canopy suspensory brachiator.

The complete elegance of this evolutionary package is far from what Geoffroy Staint- Hilaire had in mind when he dubbed spider monkeys genus Ateles (a reference to their lack of thumb).
-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behavior, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic: Intern Linda

Marmosets and Tamarins
Chapter 3: Experimental Multiple Hybridism and Natural Hybrids among Callithrix Species from Eastern Brazil

A wild caught monkey, taken from his parents as an infant

and sold in a marketplace in the inhumane exotic pet trade;

Macaco’s physical appearance suggests he may be a hybrid

Hybridism can assist in many different fields. Forming hybrids can contribute to research by obtaining genetic codes, comparing resistance or susceptibility with pure breeds, and other biological investigations. Hybrids can develop in captivity but also occur in the wild.

In nature, hybrids are rare and in wild populations are generally not seen. Due to human activities, it is possible to create a disturbed area in which two different species meet. Some of the possibilities that allow species to meet are climate change, introductions, and deforestation. These hybrid zones are very narrow and are quite uncommon. Hybrids of C. kuhli and C. penicillata are reported to have been seen in the northern parts of Rio Jequitnhonha.

As these disturbed areas are increasing in nature it is very hard for scientist to provide suggestions regarding hybrid zones. With long-term studies, skillful observations, comparisons with parent species and neighboring surroundings will provide answers.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

True benevolence or compassion, extends itself through the whole of existence and sympathizes with the distress of every creature capable of sensation. -- Joseph Addison

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 70 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 10, Part 1

2011-10-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Happy 10th Birthday Olivia!
On October 24, 2001 a tiny white-tufted eared marmoset was born at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. Her mother passed away in childbirth. Olivia, as she was later named, was cross-fostered by compassionate Sanctuary volunteers. She was lovingly cared for, dropper fed, and kept warm and safe. Once she was weaned, Olivia needed to live with other monkeys- to learn social behavior, vocalization, and to truly become who she was born to be. When Lucian arrived at PPS, rescued from a chemical testing facility, we thought he might make a wonderful companion for Olivia. The two were paired, and Olivia developed into a fully functional primate with Lucian. She was able to form a strong bond with another of her own kind. After Olivia gave birth, she matured fully, becoming a competent marmoset mother. She and Lucian carried their babies, provided them with nourishment and warmth, and protected them. Olivia and Lucian raised their family together in their outdoor enclosure, learning to forage, groom each other in the sun, explore the green world, and experience a full, rich life. Olivia will be turning 10 years old this month, and it has been inspiring to see an orphaned infant become a strong, socially successful adult marmoset!

Olivia (left) with Bianca (top) and Lucian (right)

Please help us continue to provide monkeys, such as Olivia, a home where they can live in nature with others of their own kind.
Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

The Yellow Ginger is back in season, and the monkeys at PPS have been happily enjoying this favorite treat! The highly fragrant plant contains many small yellow flowers, each with a long tubular neck full sweet nectar, similar to Honeysuckle. All that delicious nectar also attracts the ants. Olivia (left) digs through a ginger flower, searching for some tasty ants, while Miranda (right) eats the nectar filled flower.

Montana relaxes,

enjoying his

new environment

Spider Monkeys, Carlos and Montana appreciate their spacious enclosure. We have seen them munching on the leaves of many different plants growing in their new home, and enthusiastically exploring throughout the day. The brothers have lived their entire lives on display at local tourist attractions, living in small cages.

Carlos swings through the air!

It is a joy to see Carlos and Montana finally able to express their natural movement and brachiate, hand over hand, through the greenery from one end of their 40 foot enclosure to the other.

They are becoming healthier, stronger and more autonomous. Thank you for helping to make this possible!

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 10, Part 2

2011-10-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Gearing up for the Volunteer Expo
Pacific Primate Sanctuary will be participating in the Maui County Volunteer Expo. The Volunteer Expo will be held on Saturday, October 29th at the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center in Kahului, from 11am-1pm. This event will give us a chance to connect with the community, and let them know about the wonderful volunteer opportunities available at the Sanctuary. We are looking forward to spreading the word about PPS!

Helping the Monkeys
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, volunteering your time and skills, please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We need Animal Caregivers, Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers. Retirees are welcome!

GoodSearch and GoodShop
Looking for a Free and Easy way to raise funds for Pacific Primate Sanctuary? We are signed up with GoodSearch.com and now every time you shop online or search the internet, a donation will be made to the Sanctuary when you designate us as your charity of choice.
GoodShop.com works with more than 2,500 stores (including Target, Apple, Petsmart etc.) and every time you purchase something, a percentage will be donated to Pacific Primate Sanctuary. GoodShop also offers over 100,000 coupons and free shipping offers, so you can save money at the same time. It’s a win-win.
GoodSearch is a Yahoo powered search engine that makes a donation to us each time you do a search.
Supporting Pacific Primate Sanctuary has never been easier; please join us in using these sites to help raise money for the monkeys. Get started by clicking the “Become a Supporter” button on our profile page: http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/pacific-primate-sanctuary-pps.aspx

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

Extern Dawn, filling water bottles

PPS Intern Annabel

Our newest Interns and Extern have progressed rapidly in their training. Extern Dawn, who arrived in June, has completed her AM and PM shift instruction and her Emergency Care module. Dawn was drawn to PPS, leaving her successful business in England. She had no previous exotic animal care experience but, with great motivation and dedication, she has mastered so much in the short time she has been at the Sanctuary! Now, Dawn will be able to deepen her understanding and skills as an animal caregiver, and she has also offered to take on some administrative tasks. Intern Linda also had a very productive month, graduating from both the AM shift and PM shift training. With her past experience working in a Vet Clinic, Linda was also able to complete her Emergency Care module in no time. Our newest Intern, Annabel, who came to PPS from England, has also completed her AM and PM shift protocol training. We have already begun Annabel’s instruction in Emergency Care, which she is very eager to learn. Intern Caroline graduated from both AM and PM shifts as well as Emergency Care training a couple months ago, and is sharing her skills with Dawn, Linda and Annabel. This powerful PPS team can now begin to learn about Colony Management!

Current PPS Interns and Externs: Linda, Caroline, Dawn and Annabel

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 10, Part 3

2011-10-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Linda
Marmosets and Tamarins
Chapter 2: A vocal taxonomy of the Callitrichids

Saddleback Tamarins have highly complex vocalizations.

Vocalizations in Callitrichids serve many functions. The long or loud calls are used in species identification, mate attraction, and for defense. These calls are important in reproductive isolation and identification of species because the vocalizations are species-specific. Long calls have been well studied and are used to defend against intruders of the same species, to keep a group together, and for finding a mate.

Below is a phylogeny tree showing the evolution of marmosets, tamarins, and other closely related monkeys, by Rosenberger and Coimbra-Filho (1984). Craniodental (teeth and skull) features are used to determine the specie relationships.

Through this interpretation, it is possible that tamarins separated earlier than marmosets and therefore live in different environments. Tamarin calls have a frequency range that is lower than callitrichids and can travel for longer distances. They are found in the Atlantic Forest with much less noise than other Amazon regions. In contrast, marmoset calls are very high in frequency but rapidly decline as it goes into the distance. This is due to the immense number of competing noises that are found in the Amazon. Marmosets have adapted by having a high-pitched long call to avoid being masked by other sounds.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Special Topic: Intern Caroline
The Complete Capuchin
Chapter 10. Fancy manipulators. Capuchins use objects as tools.

Capuchin monkeys use tools in the wild, as well as in captivity, to achieve a common goal. Capuchins frequently use tools in captivity similar to other primates, such as chimpanzees. However, there is less evidence of tool usage by capuchins in the wild, perhaps due to their arboreal nature. Hundreds of years ago tool usage by capuchins had already been reported. In Panama, 500 years ago, capuchins were observed cracking nuts after seeing men open the nuts with stones. The men would leave the nuts where capuchins could reach them and the capuchins would then crack the nuts with the stones.

-Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press

Special Topic: Intern Annabel
Chapter 6: Foraging for Prey

Marmosets at PPS hang upside down to

access a treat filled bamboo feeder

In a study comparing habits of five new world monkey species, foraging was for all a major, if not the major activity, occupying from 15% to 49% of their waking lives. Tamarin species spend most of their time hunting on tree trunks and branches. Tamarins are dedicated leaf foragers, and devote between 85 to 90% of their attention to this class of substrate.

This foraging behavior can be seen and encouraged in the tamarin and marmoset species at PPS. Bamboo feeders can be placed inside enclosures. These require the monkeys to manipulate the feeders in order to get to the treats inside. This mimics natural behaviors with increased foraging times being more similar to what would be seen in the wild. The tamarins and marmosets also have green rooms filled with various selections of plants and trees. The monkeys can use these environments to for hunt insects on the leaves and branches, thus exhibiting natural behaviors.

-Moynihan, Martin. (1976). The New World Primates. Adaptive Radiation and the Evolution of Social Behavior, Languages, and Intelligence. Princeton University Press

Special Topic: Extern Dawn
The ethnoprimatology of spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) from past to present

Human and nonhuman primates share a relatively recent history of interaction in the New World (the Americas) in comparison with the Old World (Africa and Asia).

Primatologists tend to focus their research on understanding the behavior and ecology of a particular primate species or subspecies. One of the most studied aspects of human-nonhuman interactions has involved human development and deforestation of primate habitat over the last 500 years. With so many of the world’s primate species endangered or threatened, such an approach is logical, meaningful, and most certainly critical for understanding the consequences of human behavior to the quite literal survival of many nonhuman primate species.

Carlos at PPS

In a broad view of perceptions of human and nonhuman animal life, Viveiros de Castro (1998/1999) has made the observation that it is common in cosmologies of indigenous Amazonian peoples to view Spider monkeys as former human beings. Rather than the popular Western view of humanity representing an evolutionary ‘stage’ following an earlier, less differentiated nonhuman primate “stage”, it is thought that contemporary monkeys are transformed beings who were human in a prior form of their existence. Interestingly, it has also been noted that Spider monkeys behave differently toward women than to men (D. Urdaneta, personal communication).

Beliefs regarding spider monkeys are categorized into those involving “transformation” and those involving “contagion”. The first involves myths where spider monkeys are transformed human beings as mentioned earlier. The second involves either positive or negative attributes that can be conferred to human beings through contact with spider monkeys (and sometimes vice versa).

In summary, given how frequently the generic category of “monkey” appears in Central and South American myths, it is clear that spider monkey symbolism remains an area that needs further exploration.

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behaviour, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

“Our task must be to free ourselves…by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures, the whole of nature, and all its beauty.” — Albert Einstein

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 70 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and tourist attractions. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

2011-09-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

We mourn the passing of our precious Viola…

On March 10, 2008 PPS Interns Erin and Tez were awakened by loud noises at the Capuchin enclosures. In the dark, they were barely able to discern Miracle giving birth to a tiny infant. Early the next morning, this precious little being was found lying on the ground, cold and barely breathing. Her life was hanging by a thread, and we needed to respond quickly. She was pulled out of the enclosure, warmed and given food.

The first few weeks were a critical period for baby Viola. Sanctuary interns worked around the clock to care for her, waking several times each night to provide food and comfort. In her role as primary caregiver, Intern Erin found that opening her heart fully to this amazing being was vital to the infant’s survival.

Viola grew rapidly during her first several months. She became more alert, and examined her surroundings. Soon she was climbing, exploring her environment, and eating solid food. Finally, after five months of constant care, it was time for the baby to return to her own kind. Viola was released into the large enclosure with her Grandmother, Miranda. It was a beautiful sight; Miranda was so protective and caring. In short time, the adventurous youngster was running and playing in her new environment. She bonded with Miranda. We were excited to see this human reared monkey climb onto her Grandmother’s back, and hang on as Miranda carried her from branch to branch.

Over the next 2½ years Viola grew into a beautiful young Capuchin. She was so full of life and joy and was constantly exploring her outdoor enclosure. Miranda taught her how to groom with citrus fruit, and the two monkeys often played together, chasing and wrestling. Viola also loved to paint; she would choose colors from the paint palette and spread them all around on a canvas using her hands, feet, tail or a paintbrush. (See the video Viola Paints on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/pacificprimate)
Viola was bright, inquisitive, and full of energy- always running, jumping, swinging and bouncing. She touched the heart of anyone who came into contact with her, and was truly loved by all.
Viola passed away on August 28, 2011. Her loss is really too profound for words.

SANCTUARY NEWS

Several weeks ago we placed cotton top tamarins Armando and Eudora next door to one another. We watched them carefully, to see if they were interested in being companions. The two showed immediate interest, eating side-by-side and gazing inquisitively at one another. Anytime Eudora’s portable enclosure was moved away, Armando would follow to see where she went. With such positive interactions, we knew it was time to attempt a pairing! Eudora’s portable enclosure was pushed right up to Armando’s, and her door was opened into his enclosure. Eudora was nervous about entering into the new space, but Armando quickly entered her enclosure and explored a little bit. After a few minutes, Eudora followed her new companion into his outdoor enclosure. This happy pair explored together during the day, and cuddled close together in their sleeping cube on the first night.

Little Bea explores

her new home

White-tufted eared marmosets, Oona and Little Bea, were moved into a new enclosure this month. They have both really been enjoying their larger space, and spend most of their time exploring the outdoor portion. Oona is often seen soaking up the warm sunshine first thing in the morning.

Please help us continue to provide a place where monkeys like Armando, Eudora, Oona and Little Bea can live in social groups in the natural world.
Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 9, Part 2

2011-09-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

COO Erin and Intern Caroline represented Pacific Primate Sanctuary at the Seabury Hall Volunteer Fair. Seabury is a local High School, and each year they bring in non-profit organizations to speak to the students about volunteer opportunities within the community. Many students were very interested to learn more about the Sanctuary, and quite a few left with Volunteer Applications! We are looking forward to hearing back, and bringing in some new Volunteers.

PPS Intern, Caroline, speaks with interested students at Seabury Hall

Thank You to Nick for all your help around the Sanctuary over the summer! Nick has been volunteering at PPS every Sunday for the last several months, doing a wide variety of projects. He built a new compost box, pruned, fixed drawers, and latches, powerwashed, and helped get rid of slugs just to name a few of the wonderful things he has accomplished. It has truly been a pleasure having his good energy here, and we are all in awe of his skills and amazing fix-it abilities. Nick had to head back to the mainland but he has told us he will be coming back and we all look forward to seeing him again.

Helping the Monkeys
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We are looking for Animal Caregiver Volunteers, as well as Office Assistants, Handymen and Handywomen, and Gardeners/Landscapers.

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

Welcome to our newest Resident Intern, Annabel
Annabel traveled all the way from Kent, England to be our September 2011-2012 Resident Intern! She has recently completed a degree in Animal Conservation and Biodiversity. Annabel has experience working with gorillas at Howlett’s Zoo, as well as working with baboons at the Born Free Foundation. She also spent a year studying the effect of different forms of enrichment on black and white ruffed lemurs.

Annabel writes:
Thank you for the invitation to join your team for an internship. I am so excited to come and join you all and feel I can learn so much whilst there. My aims of the internship are to become a responsible and capable animal caregiver, responding to the… needs of the primates and helping to enrich their lives. I aim to be efficient in the administration of medical care to the animals... I also wish to learn as much as I can about the primate species I will be looking after, as I have not worked with these before therefore it will be a perfect opportunity to familiarize myself with these species.

…Pacific Primate Sanctuary seems like such a lovely place where the animals really do come first and it will be so interesting to see the differences between PPS and the other animal institutions I have worked in. I hope that the knowledge that I gain at the end of the internship will enable me to give excellent care to all primates that I work with in the future.

I do not know how I will feel when my internship comes to an end. I may be a bit homesick or I may want to stay forever. All I do know is that once a place has become my home I will always be back.

…thank you so much for the opportunity to become part of your team.

Annabel is passionate about working with primates, and we are all excited to have her here at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. She has already begun her training, and has shown great enthusiasm and competence.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 9, Part 3

2011-09-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Caroline
Complete Capuchin: Chapter 9. Engaging the world. Exploration and problem solving.

Miranda and Viola examine

the inside of a fig

Capuchin monkeys are initially interested in opening up, getting inside, taking apart and also the altering of objects and surfaces. Capuchins in captive situations especially enjoy manipulation, since constant tampering with objects can take an entertaining or exploratory tone. It often appears that the monkey is trying out new actions for the pleasure of mastering something. This can be seen when giving the capuchins at PPS a lilikoi fruit filled with sunflower seeds (with only a small hole to get the seeds out). The capuchins begin biting at the fruit and sticking their fingers inside and sometimes even throwing the fruit to get the seeds out.

A study also showed that capuchin monkeys (of all ages) frequently splashed water out of a pan and often would throw bits of straw or food into the pan, then scoop them out, and repeat the process. We see this at the Sanctuary when Prospero soaks his bread repeatedly in water before eating it, or Viola dips her tail or hand in the water dish to drink or splash the water. These behaviors illustrate the remarkable ways capuchin monkeys use their hands, tail and feet, and the innovative techniques with which they explore their world and solve problems.

-Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press

Special Topic: Extern Dawn
Chapter 11: Immaturity in spider monkeys

Play is a very important part of life for primates, a critical factor in the socialization process. Primates are noted for their long period of immaturity; in fact, the length of this period relative to the total life span is the most unusual aspect of growth and development in non-human primates.

Those primates with the largest relative brain sizes appear to have the longest juvenile periods, and spider monkeys exemplify this trend as anyone who has met PPS spider monkeys, Carlos and Montana will confirm. An invitation to play may consist of the shaking of a tree, or in our case, a red bucket and this will be followed by lots of excitement, backing up and racing forward until the invitee reciprocates.

Interesting to note, the feeding behavior of the spider monkey suggests that some chemical components in fruits interact with their chemosensory receptors to permit them to gauge these foods in terms of dietary quality. In view of this, their preference for certain fruits should be taken very seriously as Carlos and Montana, do in fact know best!

Males are more gregarious then females and preferentially seek out the company of other males as they mature, directing most of their aggression toward females, so if you ever get concerned that our guys are in need of the fairer sex, think again. They are quite happy and content, even though with those beautiful blue eyes, the girls are really missing out!

Spider monkeys brothers, Carlos and Montana, Hugging

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behaviour, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic: Intern Linda
Marmosets and Tamarins Chapter 1: Systematics, Distribution and Conservation

This chapter introduces the species taxonomy, location and status. Different species are characterized by behavior, dental morphology, and immunology. Here at the sanctuary there are three different species of marmosets and two different species of tamarins. The table below summarizes each species’ common name, location, and conservation status.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Callithrix Kuhlii, Father and Son at PPS

“…the natural world is in a real crisis situation, but there are all around the planet extraordinary people who are absolutely determined that certain animal species or plants or ecosystems shall be helped to restore themselves.” -Jane Goodall

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 73 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 8, Part 1

2011-08-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Meet Millie

On September 21, 2003 a white-tufted eared marmoset was born at a biomedical laboratory. She was identified as #034084. That number was tattooed on her body. This drug-product research company houses around 2,000 primates and is hired by firms like Pfizer and Eli Lilly, to conduct toxicity animal testing for agrochemicals, petrochemicals, household products, pharmaceuticals and toxins. Government reports indicate, "Highly toxic agents were being injected into animals without the use of methods to relieve pain and distress." Primates die from the toxic side effects.

In 2002, the company was cited by the US Department of Agriculture for 133 violations of the Animal Welfare Act for failure to provide adequate veterinary care, housing, and sanitation. The most basic needs of the animals were repeatedly disregarded. In 2005, in just a 3- week period, 20 marmoset monkeys died of emaciation. In November of 2007, a female macaque monkey at this inhumane facility was boiled alive in a 180-degree automated cage washer.

PPS was contacted by a veterinarian at the laboratory. She was resigning and wanted to get at least some of the monkeys out of the lab before she left. A family of 10 marmosets was sent to Pacific Primate Sanctuary. Finally, these monkeys would be cared for and treated with the respect and compassion that they deserve. Number 034084 is known as Millie- she is no longer “just a number”. Millie spends most of her time in her lush jungle enclosure, being groomed in the sun by her devoted companion, Ernesto.

Millie and her family were fortunate to escape, however many more monkeys still live out their days in terrible conditions. Please help us continue to provide a place refuge for abused and neglected primates. Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Final Inspection from USDA Veterinary Medical Officer, Dr. Elizabeth Lyons
A few months ago we said farewell to Dr. Elizabeth Lyons, who has been our Federal inspector for many years. Dr. Lyons has always been a strong advocate for the rights of animals, and we will miss her dearly. In her final inspection report of PPS, Dr. Lyons wrote:

I have been inspecting this facility for more than 24 years- my entire APHIS career. Not once has there ever been a hint of a noncompliant item. At all times, the facilities and care provided here have far exceeded USDA regulations and standards. Because this is the last inspection report I will generate before my retirement, I would like to express my profound gratitude and appreciation for the work done here. It has been my pleasure to observe the growth and change, which continue to benefit and enhance all primates (humans included) associated with this special sanctuary. With warmest aloha…

Magnus and Melia are

growing up quickly!

Our youngest residents have been growing rapidly, and have officially been named! Magnus and Melia are twin endangered cotton-top tamarins, born on April 4. They are now comfortably clambering around and jumping from branch to branch in their outdoor enclosure, and able to eat on their own. However, if their mother, Nadine, has a particularly tasty treat, she is always willing to share with either of her offspring should they come up for a taste.

The lush Capuchin enclosure

The Capuchin enclosures got a makeover this month! PPS Volunteers planted many new plants including hibiscus, palm, ti, and ice cream bean. Viola immediately began swinging on a very large palm plant, while Miranda focused on examining every inch of a Ti plant (and finding tasty bugs in the process!). Prospero and Miracle were particularly interested in the ice cream bean tree in their enclosure.

Cotton-top tamarins, Hector and Persephone, were paired just a few months ago. We are happy to report that this pairing is a huge success! Hector and Persephone spend most of their time side-by-side exploring their outdoor enclosure, lounging on their bamboo bridge, or nestling close together on a platform.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 8, Part 2

2011-08-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Farewell Anne and Morgan

Mother/daughter team Anne and Morgan has been volunteering at Pacific Primate Sanctuary for the last three years. Additionally, the third member of the family, Chip, has come in to volunteer when his daughter, Morgan, was unavailable. This wonderful family has been such a valuable addition to the PPS team. With their busy school and work schedules, they have found it increasingly difficult to find the time to continue volunteering. Sadly, they will no longer be volunteering on the Sunday PM shift during the school year. We will miss their positive energy and bright smiles. However, they are planning on coming back during school breaks, and we greatly look forward to seeing them!

Anne writes:
The Sanctuary has been such a special and important part of our lives for the past three years and we feel very blessed, honored, and humbled by the experience. It is with great sadness that we temporarily say goodbye… Thank you so much for allowing us to be apart of this wonderful service and thank you for all that you do! To the Monkeys we say: thank you for the incredible beings you are, for the joy you have brought to our lives, and for all you have taught us!

We hope to see you back again soon Anne and Morgan!

Helping the Monkeys
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We are looking for Animal Caregiver Volunteers, as well as Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers.

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

We bid a fond farewell to Intern Simon who has completed his Internship, and is headed off to get his Masters in Primatology at Oxford Brooks University. Simon has made many valuable contributions including: passing on the knowledge he gained at the Sanctuary to our newest caregivers, Dawn and Caroline, creating a Geriatric Monkeys care document and a Special Medications Inventory list, which will help future Interns and Volunteers to be better caregivers.

Simon’s Farewell

… when I think about my service here one thing is clear: my experiences have been tremendously rewarding. From training in emergency care, to learning how to dice up Jack Fruit, I was constantly learning new things. But the rewards of this internship go beyond mere knowledge. I was introduced to some of the most selfless people you could ever hope to meet. And let’s not forget the marvelous monkeys who give us all a sense of purpose. It has truly been an unforgettable experience.

… even though all of my academic training has taught me never to anthropomorphize, whenever I see Leticia grooming her crippled mate, Iktomi—even though she must know full well that he can never reciprocate the favor—the only explanation I am left with is that she does this out of unconditional love. This pair never ceases to amaze me. Iktomi is one of the first monkeys to capture the affection of his caregivers, due to his condition and his gentle demeanor. But Leticia deserves credit too for being such a dedicated mate, and for tolerating the smaller enclosure even though she is completely able-bodied. I was absolutely delighted to see these two finally move in to their new double-sized enclosure, just as my internship drew to its close. Watching Leticia adventurously scamper about from branch to branch while Iktomi puttered around on his platform level was utter euphoria to witness. And I’ll never forget the day Dawn and I took Iktomi out for his first session outside in the shady grass, boundless blue skies overhead.

Then there was the moment when the new Spider Monkey Enclosure was completed and we finally—after months of failed attempts—had moved both Montana and Carlos in. It took so long to capture them for the move because the PPS method was to use a slow-going strategy that minimized stress. Our patience finally paid off. Once moved, watching them brachiate from one side of their expansive new home to the other was remarkable. To see them come alive in their new world—more than triple the size of their old one—was a glorious sight to behold.

I recall the day the Cotton top tamarin babies were born, two fuzzy…little monkeys with slicked back hair… And how later that day Mary Catherine, Olivia, and I found one of them on the ground, cold, and seemingly lifeless. I scooped the baby up and we prepared baby formula for her, which she ravenously gulped down. After a spell in the incubator she was completely restored to normal. When I grabbed her to take her out and return her to her family she instinctually wrapped around my finger and clung like some sort of miniature woolly salamander clinging to a twig, eyes like big black prayer beads. It was such a surreal moment. And then to see her be welcomed back by her family upon reintroduction, I was humbled to be witness to this act of—dare I say it—humanity…

If it were just me and the monkeys that would have been a fully rewarding experience in and of itself. But there was also the rest of the PPS team. There is such a high concentration of unadulterated good people at PPS and every single one of them continually inspire me.

… This sincerely has been a monumental experience. My reflection on this experience has convinced me of just how much I’ve learned here, both professionally and personally. Now I am armed with the necessary experience I sought out in order to create my own sanctuary. I can only hope that I was able to give to PPS at least a minute fraction of all that it bestowed upon me. I am going to deeply, genuinely miss the primates at PPS—both those with tails and without. Thank you, fellow primate custodians. To say it has been a pleasure would be an understatement. Let me close by saying my hope is that this isn’t really the end of my internship, but rather the beginning of a lifelong collaboration between PPS and the sanctuary I aspire to build.

Introducing Linda, Our Newest PPS Intern:
We are very pleased to announce the arrival of Resident Intern, Linda! She has been here for a week now, and has shown great enthusiasm in her training.

In her acceptance letter, Linda writes:
It is with great excitement that I accept this internship position at PPS and the opportunity to dedicate myself to the primates at the sanctuary.

I recently graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in Zoology. I’ve always had a love for animals as well as for all living systems on Earth so I knew that PPS would be a great match for me.

Some of my goals for this internship would be to gain experience, meet others, and to challenge myself. I am currently applying to veterinary school and with the valuable experience that I gain volunteering at Pacific Primary Sanctuary, I believe it will move me one step closer to becoming a veterinarian. The hands on environment… will make this a life changing experience… I believe that this internship will help me grow as a person as I will be away from my family and out of my comfort zone. I will have the chance to try new things, push my boundaries and stay open minded.

My desire to come to PPS was heightened after reading the information on the website, the emails, and speaking to Lucy and Erin at the sanctuary. I could tell that they have so much passion for what they do and will give their all for the lives of these primates. These are the people that I want to be surrounded by and their experience is exactly what I want to experience.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 8, Part 3

2011-08-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Caroline
Perceiving the world. Memory and Perception
How do capuchins perceive the world? Moreover, what do they think of us? Evidence has suggested that capuchins are able to recognize individual people and other monkeys with whom they’ve interacted after years of separation. Capuchins also have quite good memories for significant events, which might explain why they tend to be drawn to certain people or objects over others. In the case of Viola who was hand raised as an infant, it is evident she is the most comfortable of any of the capuchins around humans here at PPS.

In their natural habitat, capuchins have been found to be consistent with their ability to travel efficiently among multiple food sites by remembering the location of their food sources and not retracing their paths on the same day. They are also able to learn to search smaller spaces systematically much like Miranda has been trained to take her food out of her red food bucket and Viola, the food tray.
Did you know capuchins do not hear melodies? It is true. Field studies have shown capuchins appeared not to remember the patterned auditory stimuli (tunes), but rather relied on the local features (i.e. first or last note) to discriminate the sounds (D’Amato and Salmon 1984).

The next time you’re preparing the capuchins’ diet try ‘honey-dipped raisins’ which proved to be a favorite amongst capuchins in various field studies.

-Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press

Special Topic: Extern Dawn
Chapter 10 – Spider Monkey Reproduction and Sexual Behavior

Specific data pertaining to the reproductive biology and behaviour of spider monkeys continues to be underrepresented in literature and this is primarily due to the sheer difficulty of studying them in the wild.

Spider monkeys are monomorphic (males and females are the same) in body size and it is only the clitoris that clearly distinguishes females from males…

Sexual encounters are usually long and very private under the cover of darkness, with the male and female separating from the group to find an isolated tree location before copulating.

…Male spider monkeys are known to be aggressive toward females and aggression may be linked to conflicts of reproductive interests between males and females and, in turn mating strategies.
The actual mating system is extremely promiscuous and these encounters take place at times when conception is not likely or impossible, thus strengthening the conclusion that copulation is not strictly tied to ovulation in spider monkeys.

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behaviour, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic: Intern Simon
Chapter 14: The Ecology of the Lion Tamarins, Leontopithecus;
by Anthony B. Rylands

Introduction
Callitrichids are made up of marmosets, tamarins, and lion tamarins. Weighing up to two pounds, llon tamarins are the largest, which helps illustrate just how small all callitrichids are.

There are four species of lion tamarins: the Golden lion tamarin, the Golden-headed lion tamarin, the Black lion tamarin, and the Black-faced lion tamarin. All four are found exclusively within the Atlantic coastal forest of Brazil. Lion tamarins differ from marmosets and other tamarins in various ways, but this chapter focuses on differences related to their ecology—specifically how the interrelationship between ecology and the behaviors of hunting, diet, and nesting affect these endangered species.

Hunting strategies
Hunting among lion tamarins is performed by rummaging through foliage with their hands and upturning concealed critters, rather than the stalk-and-pounce visual hunting of the marmosets and most other tamarins. By being more proactive in their hunting, lion tamarins are able to find hidden larger insect prey, which is necessary for them since they are bigger monkeys than marmosets.

Possibly because of these different hunting strategy preferences, Weid’s Marmoset and the Golden-headed lion tamarin are able to coexist in the same habitat. Not only do they employ different hunting strategies, the two also forage at different levels of the forest, with the Lion tamarin species looking in the upper levels and the marmoset species foraging more in the middle and lower levels. Interestingly, the other three Lion tamarin species forage at the lower forest levels, and though they are known to share forest space with marmosets they do not cohabitate (live together) with them. This is very likely due to the fact that they would be competing for the same foods if they did. The exploitation of different forest levels, therefore, allows Weid’s Marmoset and the Golden-headed Lion tamarin to live together in harmony.

Diet
Like the other callitrichids, lion tamarins eat insects and fruit. They may eat exudates (gums and saps) but only in the dry season when fruit is scarce. Since they lack the specialized dentition of marmosets to extract exudates they can only eat them when it has been made accessible by cracked branches or insect-bored holes. This inability to access tree gum for themselves has had ecological consequences for the lion tamarins. You see, because the White tufted-eared marmoset possess the ability to extract exudates from trees, they can comfortably live in seasonal forests subject to drought and can have small home ranges; they don’t have to travel to far away fruit trees because they can simply feast on gum and sap from nearby trees and vines. Lion tamarins, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of subsisting on exudates. They rely more on fruit, and when fruit trees dry up they need to move on to the next one to survive. For this reason, lion tamarins have the largest ranging patterns of all the callitrichids.

Nesting habits
When it comes to nesting for the night, lion tamarins are very particular. All four lion tamarin species sleep in tree-hole shelters. In fact, they require them. This behavior limits lion tamarins to forests that have such holes. The kinds of trees that have these holes are typically found in primary forest, which means that lion tamarins require primary forest. This ecological limitation would explain why other tamarins and marmosets—who may use primary forest but thrive in damaged and fragmented forests—do not employ the same tactic of sleeping in tree-holes. It also explains why all four lion tamarin species are so endangered—they insist on a habitat that is, itself, endangered.

Conclusion
In summary, by using a different hunting strategy than marmosets, Lion tamarins have been able to avoid direct competition with their fellow callitrichids, with one species—the Golden-handed lion tamarin—even cohabitating with a species of marmoset. But due to an inability to exploit exudates or to adapt to severely degraded forests lacking tree-hole shelters, the majestic lion tamarins are in danger of extinction.

Chapter 15: Ecological differentiation in the Callitrichidae; by Stephen F. Ferrari
Introduction
As the title suggests, this chapter gives a general overview of the differences between the various callitrichids (marmosets and all tamarins), and the ecological implications of those differences. It covers their evolutionary history, explains their dwarfism, and focuses on how body size ecologically relates to their consumption of gums and foraging strategies.

Evolutionary history and dwarfism of callitrichids
A big difference between callitrichids and other monkeys is their small size. Their tiny stature is an evolutionary adaption allowing them to inhabit marginal and damaged forest habitats. But while all marmosets and tamarins are small compared to most other primates, there is actually relatively large difference between the smallest—the pygmy marmoset—and the largest—the Black Lion tamarin—with varying degrees amongst the species in between. These differences have likely played a critical role in their ecology, social structure, and evolutionary history.

The widely accepted hypothesis for the evolutionary history of the callitrichids is that their ancestor was most similar to the Lion tamarins, and that as time passed a trend towards shrinking (dwarfism) began. This trend is probably the result of competition between two groups sharing a common habitat, with one group having to adapt so as not to compete directly with the other. The more adaptable a species is, the more successful it becomes. For the callitrichids, shrinking meant adapting. This may explain why the larger Lion tamarins are endangered and the most successful callitrichid species—White-tufted eared marmosets and Saddleback tamarins—are smaller. Saddleback tamarins are the smallest of all tamarins. White-tufted eared marmosets are as small as can be before shrinking begins to become unfavorable.

When dwarfism becomes too extreme (below 250 grams), the disadvantages begin to outweigh the benefits. Pygmy marmosets are an exception to this rule, however they do underscore problems associated with excessive smallness. For one, Pygmy marmosets are extremely prone to predation. Additionally, reproduction is a monumentally large burden on them—their litters can weigh up to nearly a quarter the weight of the birth mother. That’s like a 140-pound human mother giving birth to a 35-pound baby! Also, like other marmosets and tamarins, Pygmy marmosets carry their infants with them throughout the day. This is clearly inconvenient for such tiny monkeys. But the Pygmy marmosets are a special case. Remember, competition is the driving force for dwarfism among the callitrichids. Since the Pygmy marmosets share a habitat with two other tamarins, their dwarfism was likely a way for them to occupy a different niche so as not to compete with the tamarins. Though their tiny size may not be ideal, they have made it work in their favor.

The benefits of dwarfism on foraging and hunting
So we have heard the disadvantages of extreme dwarfism. What are the advantages of non-extreme dwarfism? Well, the small size of marmosets and tamarins gives them an advantage when it comes to food. They can rely on trees that produce tiny fruits over long periods of time. It’s not worth the energetic expenditure for larger monkeys sharing the habitat to forage for such tiny fruit, but it sustains marmosets and tamarins due to their tiny body size. This reduces competition. Likewise, marmosets and tamarins get more bang for their buck when they eat insects than the larger monkeys—such as capuchins and squirrel monkeys—would get.

Since marmosets and tamarins are small, the longer they spend hunting for insects to eat, the higher their chances are of being eaten themselves by predators. But because they are so small they don’t have to hunt for very long. Whereas a larger monkey would have to eat many insects to get a meal’s worth, these little guys can fill up on one or two insects and call it a day, limiting their vulnerability.

Small size has also allowed the callitrichids to get more nutritional mileage out of gums and saps. However, as we saw in preceding chapters, there is some disparity between the marmosets and tamarins regarding their ability to exploit exudates (gums and saps). Most marmosets have specially adapted lower front teeth for the purpose of extracting exudates. This specialization allows them to live in damaged forests and forests that are susceptible to drought—eating exudates and hunting insects throughout the year when fruit is absent. They are also adapted to digest exudates in a way that maximizes nutritional extraction.

Tamarins, by contrast, do not have these advantages. They eat exudates opportunistically, but cannot extract it themselves. This difference between marmoset and tamarin gummivory has an intricate influence on their behavior, ecology, and social organization—which has been discussed in previous chapters. Even their physiology has been morphed to better capitalize on the available exudates around them.

In addition to the specialized marmoset teeth, the claw-like nails that both marmosets and tamarins have are not a primitive trait. They are actually an evolutionary adaptation, which likely developed as a means to cling to the trunks and branches where gum deposits are often found. While all callitrichids consume gums to some extent, the difference of just how reliant on this nourishing ooze they are has resulted in large distinctions between the various callitrichid genera. But regardless, their small size has allowed them to really reap the benefits of high calorie exudates.

Conclusion
Ecological flexibility is critical for a species’ success. Dwarfism has given the callitrichids advantages that have allowed them to flourish in their niches. Being small allows them to make a complete meal out of insects, exudates, and small fruits. But environments change, and if species do not change with it, they face extinction. The difference between the Lion tamarins and the Saddleback tamarin helps demonstrate this point.

As we just saw in the last chapter, since the Lion tamarins sleep in habitats that contain the sorts of trees where tree-holes are found, they are limited to select forests. While other tamarins and marmosets can thrive in severely damaged forests, Lion tamarins cannot. They are considered ecologically inflexible and, as a result, are highly endangered. Saddleback tamarins, in contrast, hunt for prey and forage in very similar ways to the Lion tamarin but do not require the tree-holes and thus are not as limited. And their small size—recall that that are the smallest tamarin—affords them more options for finding sleeping spots. Because they aren’t as picky about their habitat as Lion tamarins, and because they have evolutionarily adapted via dwarfism, saddlebacks are one of the most widespread of all the callitrichids, while the large, ecologically particular Lion tamarins are among the most endangered.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't. The pain which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further. -Mark Twain

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 72 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 7, Part 1

2011-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

This month we mourn the passing of our beloved Saddleback Tamarin, Gaia. She was rescued from a research laboratory and came to PPS in 1996 along with her twin sister Galatea, their parents, and 2 uncles. We paid for the airfare to bring the monkeys here, where they could live out the rest of their days in peace. When they arrived, they were in terrible condition. One of the monkeys, Aeneas, was curled up in a ball of pain and was urinating blood. He never even had a chance to experience life at the Sanctuary. Tragically, all of the other monkeys who came with Gaia and Galatea passed away within two weeks of their arrival, the result of years of neglect in the laboratory, which no amount of care could remedy.

Gaia and Galatea were young, and fortunate to be able to live their rest of their lives in the greenery, free from exploitation. Each morning, the these two sisters would climb along the mesh in their outdoor enclosure, exposing their bellies to the warmth as the sun’s rays glistened on their coppery fur. Each caregiver passing by would always pause to watch them. Their songs rang through the corridor, so unique, it was impossible not to smile when you heard them. Gaia was a beautiful old woman at 15 years old, and lived a long, happy life at the Sanctuary. We will all miss her dearly, and always remember her amazing melodious calls, her sweet disposition, and what a privilege it was to care for her.

Please help us continue to provide monkeys such as Gaia and Galatea a refuge from Research Laboratories. Donate now at: http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Happy 17th Birthday Bruno!!

Bruno came to Pacific Primate Sanctuary as an antisocial, traumatized, Laboratory monkey. At 17 years old, Bruno is the oldest White-tufted Eared Marmoset at PPS. After rehabilitation at the Sanctuary, he is living a natural, long life with a loving companion.

Carlos and Montana have settled in well to their new enclosures! They have been taking full advantage of all that their new home has to offer: lounging on platforms in the sun, brachiating across branches, foraging from the many plants, moving from one area to the next to explore and gaining confidence. All of the extra activity has done wonders for the boys, their coats are shiny and they have both slimmed down!

It is very moving to see that the Spider monkeys have come home to a place of peace and healing after witnessing them on display at tourist attractions for most of their lives. At PPS they can finally experience their full range of natural movement, a green environment, the nurturing of devoted Sanctuary caregivers, and the respect they deserve.

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Congratulations to Erin on becoming PPS Manager: In addition to her duties as Operations Officer, (doing a wide variety of administrative tasks), Erin is now supervising morning walk through, assessing the status of each monkey and leading our weekly staff meetings. She will also be aiding in the training of new volunteers and overseeing the growth and management of our Sanctuary. Erin has been developing the leadership skills to be an effective manager. She is now doing the planning, organizing, supervising, and assisting in allocating our resources, to achieve the Sanctuary’s goals and objectives. Her skills and dedication are an inspiration. We are blessed to have her managing Pacific Primate Sanctuary!

Congratulations Dr. Bud for being selected as the County of Maui's Volunteer Center Quarterly Hero! The Volunteer Hero Program is a project that recognizes outstanding volunteers and acknowledges their contributions. The program awards individuals for their outstanding service and commitment to the community. Pacific Primate Sanctuary nominated our Vice President, Dr. Bud, for his loyalty and many years of devoted, caring service to the monkeys and our organization.

Updated PPS Website
Lucy and Erin are currently working on updating the Sanctuary Website. Most recently, we have made changes to our History and Mission Page (http://pacificprimate.org/history.htm), as well as Species at the Sanctuary (http://pacificprimate.org/meet.htm). These pages have been revised to include the Spider monkeys, new pictures, and current information. We have also made some style changes to the Monkey Videos page (http://pacificprimate.org/cam.htm).

Next, we plan on re-doing the old Volunteer page, to include quotes and pictures of our current PPS Angels! Please check back soon to see what changes we have made.

Helping the Monkeys
We are currently in need of more local volunteers! If you live on Maui and are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please e-mail us at PPS@aloha.net. We are looking for Animal Caregiver Volunteers, as well as Office Assistants, Handymen, and Gardeners/Landscapers.

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 7, Part 2

2011-07-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

PPS INTERNSHIP

Introducing Caroline:
We are very pleased to announce the arrival of our newest Resident Intern. Caroline has been serving in the Peace Corps Panama as an Environmental Conservation Agent in Panama for the past two years. She has a B.A. in biology, and spent 4 years doing animal care in a Zoo setting. Additionally, she has experience working as a Vet tech. Although she has worked with many different animals in the past, this is her first experience caring for primates. Caroline arrived on July 1st, and is already well on her way to becoming a wonderful caregiver. Already, the monkeys are very calm and comfortable around her, as though she were an old friend.

Caroline writes:

I would like to… officially thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a member of such a valuable team. I am enthusiastic to get to know each and everyone of you. Though, I don’t know any of you on a personal level I believe anyone who cares for the well being of any animal big or small must have a kind heart. Anyone that seeks out what is best for an animal, especially for the exotic species (i.e. primates) whose existence is becoming threatened and endangered in all parts of the world, is someone who is worth getting to know and working with.

From working in Peace Corps Panama, I have acquired patience …(try riding on a school bus aka Diablo Rojo for 2 hours stuck between two sweaty men, it’s not easy.) I am also accustomed to working with different cultures/lifestyles. I am an open minded, hard working individual who is motivated and ready to get the job done. I always try to have an optimistic outlook on life (glass half full kind of girl, not half empty). I will bring a fresh pair of eyes to whatever project lays ahead…

One of my main goals at the sanctuary is to grow as an individual learning about the primates through the daily care in which I will provide. While I worked at Brevard Zoo, I held tours through the primate exhibits and taught the visitors the basics about the primates but I had always wanted more. I wanted to care for the animals and now given the opportunity to do so I am prepared to give it all I’ve got. Thank you PPS

Welcome Caroline, we are so happy you have you here!

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic- Intern Simon:
Feeding ecology and behaviour of the genus Saguinus; by Paul A. Garber

Tamarins of the genus Saguinus are New World monkeys found in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northern Brazil. There are 11 known Saguinus species—more than any other New World monkey genus—and within those 11, there are 29 known sub-species. The species are further sorted into three categories: hairy-faced, mottle-faced (or spotted-faced), and bare-faced. Here at PPS, we house two species of Saguinus tamarins: Cotton-top Tamarins (which are bare-faced) and Saddle-back Tamarins (which are hairy-faced). This chapter explores relationships between diet, ranging patterns and territorial defense among this genus of tamarins.

Unlike many other primate species, Saguinus males and females are roughly the same size, and that size is small: between 320 to 564 grams. Just to provide some context, there are about 454 grams in one pound. So these tiny primates weigh less than a pound and a half. As a result of their small stature, limited gut volume, and rapid rate of food passage, tamarins rely on a diet high in nutritional quality and energy abundance. They get this from fruits, gums, and insects.

A Saddleback Tamarin

examines nectar filled

Ginger Flowers

Fruits and nectar are a high-energy resource for tamarins, providing carbohydrates and sugars. Likewise, gums provide a source of sugar as well. However, unlike marmosets, tamarins lack the longer lower incisors to extract gums. They must depend on either natural damage to the bark or wood-boring insects to be able to access the gum. Certain gums also supply calcium. Interestingly, pregnant and lactating females were found to dominate gum sources. In a study of wild Saddle-back Tamarins, only the sole breeding female was observed to scent-mark gum licks. This is a testament to the value of gums as a calcium source for tamarin mothers.

Regarding prey, grasshoppers and crickets are the main insects that tamarins consume. Since insects do not really want to be eaten, tamarins must rely on their stealth and quick reflexes when hunting. Hunting is not a cooperative effort for them—they hunt individually, not in groups. Group members will stray at least one meter away from the others in their troop and begin their forage by turning over leaves, peaking inside knotholes, and poking around palm fronds, quickly pouncing on any unfortunate critters that are upturned and delivering a swift bite to the head. These insects provide a high amount of protein for a small-bodied tamarin. Whereas a larger-bodied monkey like a capuchin would have to eat many insects—and expend vast amounts of energy in doing so—a tamarin gets the requisite dose of protein from just one or two grasshoppers. So size really does matter, in this case small size is more advantageous.

Relative to their size, tamarin home ranges are quite large, ranging anywhere from 8-50+ hectares. And within those boundaries, they travel from one- to two-thousand meters a day—pretty impressive when you consider how small these primates are. Because their home ranges are so large, it is not uncommon for two separate tamarin troops to have home ranges that overlap. Territorial battles between rival groups do occur, and can involve both hostile vocalizations and physical combat. But field studies have shown that battles are only rarely started as a result of boundary encroachment. Large fruit trees within the overlapping zone of two neighboring groups are the more frequent cause of conflict. When boundary areas do not contain major food resources the neighboring tamarin groups adopt more of a “live and let live” attitude. Only when there are valuable scarce commodities worth defending do tamarin groups wage war.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

"Although other animals may be different from us, this does not make them less than us."
— Marc Bekoff in Animals Matter

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 72 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
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You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 6, Part 1

2011-06-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Iktomi is a Critically Endangered Cotton Top Tamarin who will be turning 13 this month. He is an elderly gentleman, whose mobility has been decreasing over the past few years, due to the partial paralysis of his arms. As he has grown weaker, we have done all that we can to provide him with a life of ease and comfort.

Iktomi, and his companion, Leticia, live together in a specially constructed portable. He has a nice wide flat area with walls on all sides to prevent him from falling. Each morning, PPS volunteers gently reach into his enclosure to lay down fresh, clean, soft blankets to keep Iktomi cozy and provide a nice surface for him to hop around. Iktomi is so inquisitive, and always watches the volunteers with interest, making soft chirping noises, as they lovingly change his blankets and tent, and give him a yummy treat afterwards.

Leticia, who is still a very mobile monkey, keeps active exploring the branches, ropes and hammocks. She is a very devoted mate, and will often sit and groom Iktomi on his platform. Volunteer Judi has created several special tents for Iktomi and Leticia; they sit flat on the platform so he can easily get in and out. This pair ends each day by climbing into their tent and falling asleep snuggled close together.

Please help us continue to provide monkeys such as Iktomi and Leticia a home where they can live in peace and comfort.
Donate now at http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Sylvan arrived at Pacific Primate Sanctuary on June 27, 2001, rescued from the dark, back room of a pet store in Lahaina. The owners of the store had been cited repeatedly for animal welfare violations by USDA veterinary inspector, Dr. Elizabeth Lyons. Eventually, 10 monkeys from the store were given refuge at PPS. This year, we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Sylvan’s arrival at PPS where he is able to live outdoors in the sunshine!

We are happy to report that we were able to pair two lone monkeys this month! Persephone and Hector, two Cotton Top Tamarins, have developed a close friendship since being moved in together last month. They are now basking in the luxurious space of their new greenroom, climbing from branch to branch, and stretching out in the sun. They shared a sleeping cube and cuddled up to one another on their very first night of being paired, and were spotted grooming just a few days after that.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 6, Part 2

2011-06-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Spider Monkey Enclosure

Carlos eating a leaf he foraged for

in the new Spider Monkey Enclosure

Carlos and Montana were successfully moved into their new enclosures this last month!! Montana was quite comfortable entering the carrier, and was moved in first. A few days later, with some adjustments to the carrier crate, we were able to get Carlos in and take him up to join his brother. The two have been exploring their new enclosures, and look absolutely liberated in their new home. The Spider monkeys are enjoying all of the changes to their living environment. Carlos particularly likes foraging for leaves on the many plants, something he has never been able to do before! Montana has really gotten the hang of brachiating and has been nearly flying across the length of his enclosure daily.

Carlos and Montana stretch out on a platform!

Carlos and Montana’s new enclosure is fully assembled and open for their exploration! The final structure is 40 feet long, and filled with lush jungle plants, branches to brachiate across, ropes to climb and platforms to rest on. They now have a 360° view and can see the Bamboo grove, the orchard, the palms, and the ocean to the north. They seem to most enjoy stretching out, fully relaxed, on a high platform in the sun.

The new Spider Monkey Enclosure!

Farewell to Extern MC!

Deep appreciation and gratitude to Extern Mary Catherine for coming to Maui to be a 40-hour a week volunteer for a year! Thank you for contributing your expertise, compassion, for your willingness to be of service, and for passing on the knowledge you have gained over the last year to the new Interns and Volunteers.

Thank you for sharing positive reinforcement training with the volunteers and making life more interesting for the monkeys. (You say “foot?” politely and Miracle gives you her foot!) FAREWELL! We will miss your positive outlook, your gentleness, and dedication to the monkeys.
You have truly learned about and come to treasure each and every monkey at PPS. The monkeys have been so fortunate to have you caring for them. Thank you for creating the valuable Quick Reference Guide to the Monkeys. This descriptive summary of all of the monkeys’ medical histories is a wonderful resource and teaching guide and will be an amazing asset for years to come.

Extern MC’s Leaving Letter:

MC sharing videos of the monkeys at the

2010 PPS fundraiser

Of all the years that have rolled by in my life, I’m finding this year I’ve spent at PPS to be the hardest one to see end. Memories of the year resonate inside me and rage at its conclusion. Like a stubborn child at a fair, I do not leave here willingly. What good is a morning that doesn’t begin with walking into the corridor and saying, ‘good morning, my little menehune!’ My mornings here always began that way, followed by taking Iktomi and Leticia’s sheet down and seeing Iktomi’s expression that would tell me how he was feeling that day.

What is a day that doesn’t include hearing Leticia’s silly noises she makes at Lazero and Anna when she is eating a tasty treat? Each individual monkey here has touched me daily with their distinctive personalities and created for me a life sublime… My days at PPS are filled with small moments of enormous meaning, and I have a lifetime of memories to carry with me….

These monkeys have shared with me moments of divinity that will accompany me for the rest of my days. The opportunity has been life altering. I hope, as I leave PPS, the legacy of love and the unique lives of each individual monkey continue to be honored and kept precious in the minds and hearts of all who care for them. Thank you to everyone who cared for the monkeys with me. I am astounded by the dedication each one of you have to these divine beings. Much love and respect to all the primates here, big and small.

Welcome to New PPS Extern, Dawn

Pacific Primate Sanctuary is pleased to announce the selection of our June 2011-2012 Extern, Dawn. She is leaving her business, selling her car, and moving to Maui from Cheshire, United Kingdom in order to volunteer her time here at PPS!

As a full time Volunteer, Dawn will be carrying out the same duties as our Resident Interns, and will be given the opportunity to become a Primary Animal Caregiver. Caring for primates will be a new experience for Dawn, who has been working in marketing for many years. She says: “ This would be a complete change of direction for me, but I feel certain that it is the right thing to do at a time when I have taken stock and find myself drawn toward a more meaningful way of life, with the ability to help others to have a better life too.” We are very excited to have Dawn join us and contribute to the growth of PPS.

In her letter of acceptance Dawn writes:
I would like to thank you for giving me this amazing opportunity and therefore please do take this as my acceptance of your very generous invitation to join you as an Extern at the Sanctuary.

I am extremely honoured and proud to have been selected for this post, and my main objective now is to become immersed in every aspect of the role, contributing to the already very professional, dedicated and caring team.

The idea of working with primates has been a lifelong dream for me and although I am starting on a completely new path fairly late in life, I have no regrets because in my heart, I know that this is the right time for me.

My plan is to work hard and learn from the wealth of experience I will be exposed to, but also put to good use my own skills to help raise the profile of PPS and in doing so, add to the life quality of the monkeys. I look forward to meeting the Sanctuary Volunteer family and becoming a part of this very special place.

Farewell to Dr. Elizabeth Lyons, who is retiring from her position as Federal Veterinary Inspector for Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.

Betsy Lyons at PPS

Dr. Lyons has been a true friend and advocate for the animals. She was instrumental is ending the sale of baby monkeys to tourists in Lahaina and helped relocate the squirrel monkeys from a bar in Honolulu to the rainforest zoo on the Big Island. Betsy Lyons supported Lucy in finding homes for the 25 primates at the defunct Maui Zoo, in getting the Spider monkeys to PPS, and in passing regulations making it illegal to have primates as pets in Hawaii, which we spent decades lobbying for.

On her first inspection visit to PPS, many years ago, Dr. Lyons was seen standing in the corridor, looking up at the monkeys and weeping. When we asked why she was crying, she said that she was witness to how primates were being treated in the places she had to inspect and the contrast in how the monkeys at PPS were cared for, moved her to tears. She did her final official inspection of PPS last week, saving our Sanctuary for last. Thank you Dr. Lyons for your open heart; we know you will always have Aloha for the animals!

PPS goes to Roots School
Operations Manager Erin and Intern Olivia went to Roots School to present our environmental education program, “Be a Primate Pal”. The group consisted of 16 students between 4th and 7th grade. The children were very involved with the presentation, answering questions with thoughtful responses and asking some wonderful questions of their own. They particularly enjoyed seeing two videos, Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s “One Day on Earth” as well as “Prospero’s Etrog” (you can view these videos on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/pacificprimate). Erin and Olivia were thrilled to have such an enthusiastic audience!

Intern Olivia writes about the presentation:
Education is fundamental in the development of any species. Specifically, in humans, we learn through imitation. Until we get a formal education, we learn to talk, by making similar sounds to those of our parents and siblings. We learn to eat by implementing instruments, in a similar manner to our dining companions; and we learn to write by copying the letters in the alphabet. It is time to introduce environmental education into the formal aspect of education, as the actions of the current general population are not what we want the next generation to imitate. The coming generations need to learn to be conscious of their energy consumption, and what types of habitat destructive products are used i.e. in their soap, shampoo, and candy bars. They need help in figuring out ways to have a positive impact on the earth instead of just reaping all the benefits from it. This is where environmental education programs come in, specifically the one presented at the Roots school on June first.

The educational session presented by Erin and Olivia at Roots was designed to open the students’ eyes about primate conservation, specifically with regard to captive primates in the United States, ranging from the entertainment and pet industry, biomedical research, and primates in zoos and sanctuaries.

The different species at Pacific Primate Sanctuary were discussed including the Critically Endangered Cotton Top Tamarin (IUCN, 2010), and the Endangered Geoffroy’s or Black-handed Spider Monkey (IUCN, 2010). We asked the students to list some of the reasons for the threatened condition of these two species and the children had really good answers. They brought up habitat destruction, and capturing the monkeys for human entertainment and research purposes.

We discussed Capuchin monkeys, primates frequently used in the entertainment industry. The class was informed that by watching movies exploiting and ridiculing primates, or buying greeting cards and mazgazines with monkeys dressed in human clothing, they are supporting this industry. This has a negative impact on individual primates, who are often taken from their mothers at a young age and abused into doing tricks that are unnatural for them to perform.

The students learned about White-tufted Eared marmosets, Black-tufted Eared Marmosets, and Weid’s Marmosets, particularly their ability to use specialized teeth to get gum exudates out of trees. Unfortunately, because of their small size, these monkeys are very popular in the pet trade. We talked about the damage that occurs from monkeys being kept as pets, which is evident in some of the individuals here at the Sanctuary who have difficulties adjusting to life with other monkeys.

We ended by talking about different things that the children could do to contribute to conservation and animal welfare issues, and decrease the negative impact they have on the earth. Not consuming products with palm oil would play a huge role in decreasing deforestation. This group was too young to know where building materials come from, but it is important to be aware of where they are imported from, and avoid buying furniture made from hard woods, as these are taken from the rain forests where primates live. Also presented during the talk were ways to prevent the abuse of animals in the entertainment industry: avoid supporting entertainment companies that are known to mistreat animals. Finally, never purchase monkeys as pets, because living with humans is an unnatural environment for the monkey, and these animals may even have been captured from the wild.

Helping the Monkeys

Thank you to Kara, Intern Simon’s wife, for volunteering her time to help the monkeys while she was on vacation. While here, she mended hammocks, helped with observation of the monkeys, and created wonderful new enrichment devices. Lazero, a Cotton Top Tamarin really enjoys the coconut feeder that Kara fashioned. He hangs upside down on a rope to open the top half of the coconut and feast on the yummy treats inside. Kara also created a wonderful bamboo bridge. Hector and Persephone, two Cotton Top Tamarins are thrilled with the bridge, and spend much time sitting on it!

Thank you to Ryan for coming in to help at PPS while visiting Intern Simon. Ryan also created a bamboo bridge, which was placed in Echo and Apollo’s enclosure. This will be very helpful in allowing these two monkeys with mobility problems more access to their greenroom!

If you are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please e-mail us at: pps@aloha.net

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS INTERNSHIP

Resident Internship Grants

Current PPS Extern and Interns:

Mary Catherine, Olivia and Simon

Thank you to two generous donors for supporting our Internship Program! The Resident Internship Program at Pacific Primate Sanctuary began in 2004. We have had 23 Interns over the past 7 years and the curriculum has deepened and expanded over time. This mutually beneficial program has provided a unique and valuable learning experience for the Interns, and exceptional animal care for the primates at the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary could not operate without the Interns. These generous contributions will sustain this wonderful program and allow us to continue to offer housing, utilities, and supplies to our Interns. We are deeply grateful to our wonderful donors for partnering with the Sanctuary in providing a resident Internship program. They help to make our dreams a reality!

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 6, Part 3

2011-06-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic- Intern Olivia
Capuchin Development

Capuchins go through similar stages of development as other primates. Gestation is about five months, and the newborn baby is inspected by its mother at birth and treated with cautious interest by others in the group. A phenomenon called allonursing occurs in capuchins. This is when the infant nurses from any lactating female. An infant will begin to seek out other lactating individuals more frequently as their own mother begins the weaning process.

Capuchin young must learn which foods

are safe to eat by observing adults.

Young Viola watches Miranda eat a fig.

As the infant grows up they begin to learn to feed themselves and manipulate objects, so just after a year old they can be weaned. The young capuchin is completely nutritionally independent by their second year. This means that they have a year between weaning and when their mother cuts them off in which to learn which foods to eat, where to find them, how to access them, and how to avoid predators. Younger capuchins do not have the same physical strength or the same mental capability for determining what to eat as adults do, and this often results in starvation of the young capuchin. Those that survive have developed faster than those that do not, and their children will be more likely to survive to sexual maturity because of their ability to forage for food. Foraging is not the only development the capuchin must go through, but it is the most essential to their survival.

Capuchin young observe and participate in play activities so that when they get older they will be prepared to defend their territories and protect their families and themselves.

There is also sexual play occurring before the time of sexual maturity. With females this begins about age four and for males around age three. This can be different sexual activities, such as mounting, where everyone participates in mounting and being mounted. Female sexual play ends at the age of sexual maturity when their interest in the opposite sex arrives, and they put the sexual play to good use.

Behavioral development is as important, or even more important, than physical development. By the time an individual is large enough that the mother is going to stop breast-feeding, he/she has to know how to forage appropriately or he/she will starve, as others in the group will no longer help them determine what to eat or how to get at good foods. They do need the jaw formation to bite into some of these foods, but as long as they have a wide range of knowledge of the different foods, they will not starve.

Other social behaviors, such as learning the difference between play and aggression and how to use brute strength to defend your food source and your family are very important as capuchin’s social structures are very complex. They need to learn the difference between sexual behavior and certain play behaviors so they know how to solicit a mate for reproduction. Play gets confused with many other behaviors, because juveniles use play to learn what these behaviors are and how they will be used in the future.

Capuchins get old, but remain active socially and physically and can live well into their forties, as long as they’re healthy. Females experience longer inter-birth intervals as they age, but there is no conclusion as to whether or not they go through menopause.

-Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press

Special Topic-Extern MC
Chapter 9: Social interactions, social relationships and the social system of Spider monkeys

Spider monkeys have a fission-fusion social system characterized by a constantly changing group size as subgroups merge and separate throughout a day. This social system is thought to be a means of coping with sporadically distributed food sources because it reduces feeding competition between individuals of the same community. Depending on the local availability of food, spider monkeys will forage for food in small subgroups when food is scarce, and larger subgroups when food is plentiful. However, unraveling the social relationships of spider monkeys is not so simple and researchers are just beginning to discover the complex world of their social lives.

Females are often found foraging on their own or in very small subgroups, especially if they have dependent offspring. The common theory for their preferred small subgroups suggests female spider monkeys forage this way in order to save in travel costs. Groups with more individuals must visit more feeding sites to satisfy everyone’s hunger, thus expending more energy. Smaller groups need to visit less patches of food, thus travelling less and saving in energy expenditure. This is especially important to a female carrying an offspring. A consequence of foraging alone or in small groups is the lack of development of strong social bonds between females.

Less grooming and other affiliative behaviors between females have been reported by many studies of wild spider monkeys. Interestingly, embraces and grooming interactions increase between females when one has an infant. The author suggests that because female primates are strongly attracted to other females’ infants, an individual without an infant will offer grooming to a female with an infant in order to gain access to the baby. Aggression between females is rare, though because female spider monkeys leave their natal group when they are reproductively mature, leading females sometimes show aggression to new females immigrating into their community.

Unlike relationships between female spider monkeys, relationships between males are very strong. Within a social community, interactions between males are overwhelmingly affiliative. Grooming, embracing, and pectoral sniffing (a species typical affiliative behavior) are interactions most commonly seen between males. Males often forage in larger subgroups and often travel together to the boundaries of their home ranges on “patrols.” They have even been observed walking on the ground in single file deep into territory of neighboring communities in order to carryout “raids” in which they display and often chase members of the rival group. The strong social bonds between males foster the trust and cooperation necessary to carry out such dangerous endeavors. Observations of wild spider monkey communities show very low levels of aggression between males, although lethal aggression has been witnessed and may be more widespread than originally thought.

Montana comes in close to share an embrace with his brother, Carlos

Relationships between male and female spider monkeys are described in this chapter as intermediate between male-male and female-female relationships. Grooming and instances of embraces occur more frequently between a male and female than between females, but less frequently than it does between males. However, very strong bonds are found between a mother and her adult son. The most instances of aggression in a spider monkey community are by males being aggressive toward females. A possible explanation is that because spider monkeys are not sexually dimorphic (in other words, no size difference exists between the sexes), the aggression exhibited by males to females are “intimidation displays” in which males attempt to dominate equal sized females. This chapter stresses the need for further investigation into the complex social lives of spider monkeys before more definitive conclusions on their social structure can be made. With increased conservation efforts, wild spider monkey culture will be preserved and determined primatologists can delve further into the fascinating social world of spider monkeys.

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behavior, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic- Intern Simon
Habitats, feeding ecology, and home range size in the genus Callithrix; by Anthony B. Rylands and Doris S. de Faria

**NOTE** The taxonomic classification has changed since the writing of this article. The genera Mico and Callibella were once considered to be part of Callithrix, but are now classified as distinct. Please note that when this article speaks of the genus “Callithrix,” it is actually referring to all three of the different genera. For the purpose of this summary, I shall simply use the term “marmoset,” but exclude the pygmy marmoset (of the genus Cebuella) from this usage.

Introduction
Marmosets are found in Brazil, the northeastern tip of Paraguay, and eastern Bolivia. The relatively wide distribution of the various marmoset species is indicative of the wide variety of habitats that they occupy. Each species is unique—a result of their adaption to their own specific habitat—but there are strong similarities as well. This article gives a general summary of these similarities and differences.

Habitats
The various habitats that marmosets live in include evergreen forests, seasonal semi-deciduous forests, Amazonian-type savannas, white sand forest patches, tall forests with dense undergrowth along waterways, lowland forests, and highland forests. Some live more inland and some are coastal. Clearly, these are all very different kinds of forests. But although they occupy this wide range of habitats, one similarity among all the different marmoset species—regardless of the type of habitat they live in—is their preference for secondary forests.

A secondary forest is a forest that has been regrown after a major disturbance (for example, after a fire or after severe logging). In a secondary forest, the effects of the disturbance are no longer noticeable. So why would marmosets choose to live in a regrown forest rather than an old-growth primary forest? It all has to do with the fruit types and fruiting patterns of the “pioneer plants” that only grow in secondary forests. Also, secondary forests are denser than primary forests, providing better shelter. Not to mention the fact that secondary forests are loaded with tasty creepy-crawlies that the marmosets can munch on…which brings us to the next point.

Feeding Ecology

Davis and Cordelia search for ants and sweet nectar

among the petals of this pink ginger flower

Bugs might sound like an unpleasant choice of food, but they are high in protein. Marmosets also hunt other small prey as well, such as spiders, snails, frogs, lizards, and even small birds on rare occasions. In fact, animal prey makes up about 25% of most marmosets’ diets. The other 75% depends on the species. In addition to being insectivores, they are all fruit eaters (frugivores) and gum and sap eaters (exudativores) as well. But some marmoset species rely predominately on exudates, with a supplemental fruit here and there, and others are just the opposite. For example, White-tufted and Black-tufted marmosets are predominately gum and sap eaters, eating very little fruit in the wild, while Weid’s marmosets (such as PPS’s own Davis) are highly frugivorous. But regardless of how often they eat saps and gums, all marmosets are evolutionarily adapted to do so. In fact, marmosets are the only primates that have this adaption. Their long lower front teeth and their intestinal shape are specifically designed to gouge tree trunks, branches, and vines and digest the gummy goodness. But because extracting sap is an energetically costly activity for these little marmosets, fruit is often preferred when it is available. But remember, different marmoset species live in different habitats, and some of these habitats are more bountiful with fruit than others. Going back to the example of Weid’s marmoset: they are highly frugivorous, probably because they are predominately found in evergreen forests where fruit is plentiful. White-tufted marmosets, on the other hand, tend to live in highly dry thorn scrub where gums abound but fruit is scarce. So while marmosets all consume the same things, the percentage of the food items consumed depends on the availability of that food in the habitat where the species is found in.

Range Size
The ranging distance of marmoset species corresponds to the presence (or absence) of fruit. For example, recall that White-tufted marmosets usually do not have an abundance of fruit in their habitat so they mostly eat gums and saps. Well, because gums and saps are ever-present, White-tufted marmosets do not have to travel far, and therefore have a small range (only .5 between 6.5 hectares), as does the Black-tufted marmoset (1.25 to 4.5 hectares). In contrast, Weid’s marmoset has a range about twice that (between 10 to 12 hectares). This is because, the Weid’s marmoset prefers fruit, and fruit tends to be more widely dispersed than gums. Marmosets of the genus Mico have relatively smaller lower incisors and so are biologically less adept at extracting gums and saps than Callithrix marmosets and subsequently have a much wider home range.

Conclusion
As we have seen, habitat, diet, and home range are all inter-related. For example, since the White-tufted and Black-tufted marmosets excel at gouging saps (their diet), they are able to thrive in the most unfavorable environments (their habitat) and they travel less (their home range) because the gums are found everywhere. How the different marmoset species have reconciled these three factors of habitat, diet, and home range has created differences and diversity among them.

But while marmosets vary greatly from species to species, they share common features. Regarding their habitat and diet, the common features include their dependence on secondary growth or disturbed forest; their ability to extract gums when faced with permanent or seasonal shortage of fruits, and their methods of foraging for animal prey. These shared traits, contrasted with their differences, create an appreciation for the diversity among marmosets.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Animals are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.  — Henry Beston

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 74 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 5, Part 1

2011-05-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

We grieve the passing of two very special monkeys this past month.

Solomon, a Black tufted eared marmoset, passed away on April 16, 2011. He lived large and loved food, sharing his life with a companion, sitting on a branch outside with the sunshine on his belly. He was inquisitive and excited by new experiences. Just a few weeks ago, the Interns blew soap bubbles for him and he watched in amazement.

When we buried him, we remembered his parents, Florence and Tank. Florence was confiscated from smugglers in New York and was sent, with her sister, to the Sanctuary. Solomon’s father, Tank, came from the discredited laboratories in New York as an older, down trodden man. His story is on our website. Florence, who was a much younger monkey, and Tank had an amazing relationship and a wonderful family.

As we finished the telling of his story, circled around his small grave, we asked that Solomon commend us to those who went before and tell them that there ARE people in the world whose hearts are filled with love for them.

Lucian was born on October 23, 2002, at a testing facility has been cited repeatedly by the USDA for Animal Welfare violations. After spending two years there, Lucian, his parents and seven siblings were sent to Pacific Primate Sanctuary. A veterinarian who was working at the laboratory wanted to send at least one family of marmosets to Pacific Primate Sanctuary before she quit her job at the facility.

Lucian and Olivia

Lucian was paired with Olivia, a marmoset who was human reared, after her mother died in childbirth. Olivia learned much from Lucian about how to be a monkey, including normal behaviors and vocalizations. Their lives became complete when they had children. Lucian and Olivia were wonderful parents, always protective of their family. Over time, their offspring grew up and found companions of their own. Lucian and Olivia both developed health conditions requiring specialized care, and one or the other would often spend time in the infirmary being gently nursed back to health in the tender hands of their caregivers.

Lucian and Olivia

observe holiday candles

Each time Olivia was taken to the infirmary, Lucian would wait for her return. During these times of separation, we would often place Olivia in a kennel in front of Lucian. Lucian would always come running as soon as he saw her, and spend the whole day close by, keeping a careful watch over Olivia. At night, he would wait to go up to his sleeping house until his mate was put to bed and sleeping peacefully. Over the last several weeks, Lucian’s health deteriorated rapidly and he passed away on April 26, 2011.

Solomon and Lucian were both dearly loved by the many caregivers who were fortunate to know them, and will be greatly missed.

Please help us continue to provide monkeys such as Solomon and Lucian with a home where they can pass their days in peace and gladness.
Donate now at http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Please Join us in Celebrating Miranda’s Life!

Miranda upon Arrival

Miranda fives months

after coming to PPS

Miranda arrived at Pacific Primate Sanctuary on May 17, 1990, rescued from a tourist attraction on Kauai. She had spent over a year living solitarily in a tiny 4’x4’ cage, with no room to move around or even stand upright. When she arrived, she was emaciated, had plucked all the fur from her arms, chest, neck and tail and was weak with atrophied muscles. By mutilating herself, Miranda was crying out for help against the injustice inflicted upon her. Here at PPS, she was given her life back. We built her a big enclosure, offered her lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and treated her with kindness and respect. She loved to listen as her caregivers sang to her. Over time, her muscles grew stronger and her fur grew back. Miranda has now been at the Sanctuary for 21 years, and is thriving. As a wild caught monkey, we do not know Miranda’s date of birth, so instead we celebrate Miranda’s life each year on May 17- the day she found a caring home at Pacific Primate Sanctuary

Cotton- top Tamarin, Nadine, gave birth to twins on April 4th. One of the infants was extremely weak during the first few days, and strained to hold tight to mom’s back. When caregivers saw this struggle for life, they offered extra support- dropper feeding the tiny infant, and providing warmth. Soon the baby’s strength increased, and he was able to cling tightly to Nadine’s back and nurse to maintain his strength.

This species is listed as Critically Endangered, and unfortunately the population is currently decreasing. When a species is listed as Critically Endangered, it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. In fact, 80% of the total Cotton Top Tamarin population has been lost over the last 18 years. Pacific Primate Sanctuary is currently home to 22 Cotton Top Tamarins. Their survival provides hope for the future of this at-risk species.

Viola, a young Capuchin monkey sold her very first painting! Viola has been painting with tempera paints for over a year. She loves using her fingers to spread the colors around the page (and occasionally her face!). John, a PPS Supporter, was extremely moved by the video “Viola Paints”, on YouTube and on Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Facebook page, and wanted to have one of her paintings. He offered a very generous donation for Viola’s Earth Day Painting #1.

Viola’s Earth Day Painting #1

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 5, Part 2

2011-05-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Spider Monkey Enclosures

Montana contentedly eating breakfast in his new home!

The Spider Monkey enclosures are all set up and ready for Carlos and Montana. Montana has already been moved and is happily exploring his new space!

Montana entered the carrier easily and we were able to relocate him to the new enclosure in a stress-free way. Carlos has been more wary of the carrier, and we are still working with him on entering so we can move him in with his brother.

2009-2010 PPS Intern Alli recently wrote to us:
I was just thinking about Pacific Primate Sanctuary because I was watching Discovery Channel and they had a show where they were re-locating 25 Capuchin monkeys from a closing sanctuary to a primate sanctuary in Florida. The way they were capturing the monkeys just broke my heart. The monkeys were screaming while being chased into cages and netted and were so afraid of all the people and nets and suits that one of the mother monkeys actually rejected her baby after. It made me think of the stark contrast to how you... have dealt with having to move Carlos and Montana and how patient and loving you are toward them. I really appreciate the way PPS is run and the fact that everything is there for the monkeys … I know these people's hearts were in the right place but I just wish they knew that there was a kinder way….

Volunteers
We would like to welcome our two newest volunteers, Charlene and Laurie! Charlene has joined us for the Tuesday and Thursday a.m. shift, as well as the Saturday p.m. shift, becoming a very committed and appreciated Sanctuary volunteer! She has worked with a variety of animals including horses, guinea pigs, cockatiels and turtles but this is her first time working with primates. She is eager to learn and extremely helpful and industrious. Laurie is now volunteering for the Wednesday a.m. shift. She has volunteered in the past with a local farm sanctuary. She is very compassionate and excited to be at PPS.

We would like to congratulate Volunteer Katie on graduating from her Emergency Care training, and becoming a fully trained Animal Caregiver Volunteer!

HELPING THE MONKEYS

Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Family
Director, Lucy, spends every day in the office recruiting new Interns, finding financial support, responding to countless e-mails and always offering advice and guidance. Operations manager, Erin Marie, provides her invaluable support at the Sanctuary, in the office, working with the veterinarian, and picking up food and supplies in town.
Sanctuary Interns, Olivia and Simon and extern Mary Catherine, give devoted care to all of the animals each day, maintain their home, and contribute their insights and ideas towards improving the Sanctuary. PPS Volunteers: PPS V.P. Dr. Bud, Charlene, Judi, Anne and Morgan, Jonathan, Katie and Laurie make time each week to keep all of the monkeys cared for, and the enclosures and the facility kept clean, pruned and outfitted.

Steven builds the monkeys’ homes and makes repairs and improvements to their enclosures! He, and new volunteer Nick, have created 20 protective wire grates for the outdoor Green Rooms.

PPS Treasurer, Linda, does the monthly bookkeeping prepares our taxes, and drafts the yearly PPS Budget. Jennifer, the Secretary on our Board of Directors, writes up minutes for each Board Meeting. Dr. Dressler and Dr. Delaney, provide their expertise, advice, feedback, and veterinary care to the monkeys.

The PPS Family keeps the Sanctuary functioning. Because of their contributions we can continue to offer threatened primates a place of peace and healing. They exemplify compassion, generosity, and that rare quality of selfless service, which shines a light— dispelling a great darkness. They are doing the work of Angels!

If you are interested in becoming one of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Angels, and volunteering your time and skills please E-mail us at PPS@aloha.net

Joani, Visiting the new

Spider Monkey Enclosure

The donors and friends of Pacific Primate Sanctuary make generous contributions towards the construction of new enclosures, funding the internship program, and subsidizing the feeding and care of over 70 primates. Generosity and compassion are the stuff miracles are made of; please become one of the Sanctuary’s Miracle Workers.

How to Donate Directly
We deeply appreciate your continued partnership. You, and your family and friends, can make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org and on FaceBook, using PayPal, or by sending a check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

With your support, you make everything we do possible!

PPS RESIDENCY

Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s Residency program is a unique immersion experience. During the first portion of the Internship, new trainees learn to provide daily care to the 73 monkeys at the Sanctuary. This includes preparing diets, administering daily medications, providing enrichment and maintaining the enclosures as well as the Sanctuary facility.
Once an intern has successfully grasped this information, he/she moves on to the next phase: Emergency Care training. Interns learn to provide special individual care to monkeys in need. During this time an Intern really begins to hone their observational skills, learning the individual monkeys in order to be able to tell when one is not feeling well. Interns are trained in how to handle emergency situations; administering subcutaneous fluids, using an incubator, wound care, checking vital signals and calculating drug dosages. Our newest Intern, Olivia, who arrived in March, has recently completed her Emergency Care Training and is well on her way to becoming a fully trained Resident Intern!

The third training module involves Sanctuary management. PPS Interns learn the skills necessary for Colony management (pairing new monkeys, movements within the corridor, etc). Knowing each individual monkey is vital to this aspect of the Internship. Interns also train and oversee other volunteers, create and update protocol documents and keep detailed records of all the primates at the Sanctuary.

Simon and Mary Catherine work

together to set up an enclosure

Once an Intern has become proficient in all these areas, they are awarded Primate Animal Caregiver status by senior staff. We would like to congratulate Intern Simon on completing his training, and becoming our newest Primary Animal Caregiver! However, the learning process never truly ends and Simon is now deepening in his role as an Intern at PPS. This is happening at just the right time, as our current Primary Animal Caregiver, Extern Mary Catherine, will be completing her externship in June. Over the next month, Mary Catherine will focus on passing down all the information and wisdom she has gained during the last year to Interns Simon and Olivia. This will ensure that, while Mary Catherine may not be here physically, she will always be present for the monkeys and the PPS caregivers in the documents she created and the knowledge she will leave behind.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 5, Part 3

2011-05-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Extern Mary Catherine

Chapter 8: Communication in Spider monkeys:
The function and mechanisms underlying the use of the whinny

Spider monkeys have a unique and fascinating vocal communication repertoire. Current research is exploring the vocalizations of spider monkeys in hopes of understanding what kind of information is communicated in their calls. As canopy dwellers, spider monkeys travel great distances through a complex environment in search of fruit patches. In order to communicate through the dense canopy, spider monkeys employ long-distance vocalizations as a means to locate group members, food, and avoid danger.

Spider monkeys have a fission-fusion society, meaning their social groups fracture into smaller subgroups (or even just individuals) and disperse throughout their environment to forage for food but join together again in the evening. Fission-fusion societies are found in animals with complex cognitive abilities related to building and maintaining social relationships. For example, dolphins, elephants, and chimpanzees all have fission-fusion social systems as well. Spider monkey communication is thus very intricate and we are still trying to understand the information conveyed in their calls.

Carlos often whinnies when

eating his favorite treats!

Current research suggests two vocalizations of spider monkeys, the trill and the whinny, may contain information on the animal making the call. Whinnies appear to act as a food call, increasing in frequency when there is an abundance of food. Researchers suggest this may act as a way to let other group members know where food is available and possibly to lower predation risk through safety in numbers. Members of a subgroup often stay an average of 30 meters apart from one another while they disperse and forage, while different subgroups keep a distance of 170 – 370 meters from one another. Though they may be visually separated from other members of their group, a spider monkey whinny can be heard from 300 meters away in a typical habitat!

However, the whinny is not just a sound to alert conspecifics about food. The acoustic structure of whinnies has many variations that are thought to contain specific information on both the identity of the caller and the identity of the intended recipient. This allows spider monkeys to stay in contact with specific individuals throughout their day. Trill vocalizations are also thought to contain information about the identity of the caller. In fact, studies show slight variations in the auditory make-up of a call represent identities of each group member. In other words, these calls may act as labels in how they address each other… something similar to having names! Doesn’t it make you wonder what kind of whinnies Carlos and Montana have for each of us?

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behavior, and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008.

Special Topic: Intern Simon

The ecology of the pygmy marmoset, Cebuella pygmaea: some comparisons with two sympatric tamarins; by Pekka Soini

Introduction
The word “sympatric” refers to different species that occupy the same geographic area. In this chapter the author focuses on pygmy marmosets—a species previously housed at PPS—and compares them with two other monkeys: the moustached tamarin and the saddle-back tamarin. PPS currently provides refuge for two saddleback tamarins: Gaia and Galatea. After a brief description of the pygmy marmoset, we will see how they coexist with the two tamarin species.

Description and Ecology of the Pygmy Marmoset
You can find pygmy marmosets in the upper Amazon lowland forests of Peru. As their name suggests, they are tiny. The average weight for an adult is 119 grams: less than the weight of the average hamster. They live in groups that range in size from 2-9, but on average a troop consists of about five individuals—typically one reproductive female, her mate, and their offspring. Even in cases where there are more than one adult female, only one will be reproductively active. When children become young adults they leave in search of a mate of their own. But new births—usually to twins—constantly occur every 5-7 months, replacing those who leave.

Pygmy marmosets are habitat specialists. They live in floodplain forests along rivers. They are nomads who prefer to stay put for as long as possible. Troops occupy a range of about half a hectare, but the actual size of a home range depends on the distance between the gum trees and vines that these monkeys depend on for food. They will find a tree that can support the group and vampire-ize it until it no longer produces enough sustenance to sustain the group, at which point it is time for the troop to uproot and find another food source. But until the tree has been sapped of its sap—which can take a few months to several years—the troop will make that tree their central territory, and most social interactions will play out around this home base.

Comparing the Pygmy Marmoset to Their Sympatric Relatives
While pygmy marmosets are highly specialized, their two larger tamarin brethren—the saddleback and the moustached tamarins—live a very different lifestyle. Rather than living on gums and saps, they have a more generalized diet of fruit and insects and will only eat gum or sap rarely as a dietary supplement when fruit is scarce. Though the pygmies have a small home range, the members of the group tend to spread out within that range, often foraging individually. In contrast, the two tamarin species have a much larger range—a consequence of relying on the availability of fruit—but will stick close together when on the search for food. Furthermore, for the tamarins their home range may be larger than the pygmy’s but it does not change. They are well aware of where the fruit trees are and when a given tree is producing ripe fruit. They perpetually make the rounds to where the ripe fruit is, knowing that when one tree has been exhausted they can return to it when it is replenished. In this way, they never have to leave the parameters of their home range. For the pygmy marmosets, when a tree has been exhausted they abandon it and will change their home range several times in a troop’s lifetime.

Saddlebacks are nearly three times the body mass of a pygmy marmoset and the moustached tamarin is nearly four and a half times larger. This has reproductive ramifications. The pygmy marmoset’s small size and reliance on a food source that is more stable than fruit allows them to produce offspring at a faster rate than the two tamarins. They are able to give birth every six months while saddlebacks take eight months and moustached tamarins take anywhere from eleven to twenty months. The smaller size of the marmosets also means that they can effectively occupy a smaller home range. The pygmies occupy a mere ½ a hectare, while saddle-backs have a home range of 16 hectares, and the larger moustached tamarins: 25 to 35 hectares.

Conclusion
As we can see, diet, body mass, and ranging patterns all inter-relate to one another and comprise the strategy that a species employs to be successful. Though all three of the aforementioned species are primate, each has adapted to its own unique niche so that they can all coexist in the some habitat. This helps support a stable ecological system.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Special Topic: Intern Olivia Brown

The Capuchin Body

This chapter discussed the morphology of the Capuchin body and how it helps them function in the wild. The White-faced Capuchins, the species living at PPS, have pale skin on their faces that may darken with age. They also have black tails. Capuchins weigh about 2.7 kilograms, in the middle of the size range of neotropical primates.

The Capuchins’ hands, teeth, tail, and eyes function well with their large brain to body size to make them a successful species.

Viola uses her hands and teeth

to get the sweet juice

from sugar cane

Capuchins have a much larger brain to body size than that of other New World primates. It is more on the scale of old world monkeys. Capuchins use their large brains to forage for hard to find foods, they are omnivores but eat insects and difficult to get to fruits that are surrounded by hard shells, like figs, and fruits surrounded by spines. They use their brains to determine how they can use their teeth and hands using a precision grip similar to a grip found in old world monkeys, but not other neotropical primates.

Their eyes are very specialized and important in finding ripe fruit to eat. Within Capuchins there are several different types of color vision. They also have a greater sensitivity to see bright objects once their eyes have adjusted to the dark.

The Capuchin is considered a quadruped, and walks on all four limbs, using a prehensile tail as another hand. Some new world monkeys have a patch of skin at the end of the tail that has a more specialized skill, but the capuchins have hair to the tip of their tail. They use it for balance while walking on branches reaching for vines or other branches so they don’t fall.

The Capuchins also do a lot of grooming and enjoy grooming with citrus oils and other plant matter in the wild. Some of the objects they have been seen grooming with act as insect repellents, but they may just want to smell good. All four Capuchins here like to rub the oil from limes or etrog all over themselves, and Viola will continue to rub her body with her tail.

All of these specialized morphological features help the Capuchins survive in the wild. They can access food that other monkeys pass by. The use of an abundance of foods allows for a wider range and access of food in times of food scarcity. These specific features make them a very successful monkey.

-Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press

“No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.
We must learn to see the world anew.” —Albert Einstein

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter. Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 74 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers. Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 4, Part 1

2011-04-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Meet Oona
Oona was born on May 27, 2002 and spent the first two years of her life in a research laboratory, with no access to fresh air, sunshine or greenery. A veterinarian who was working there wanted to send at least one group of marmosets to Pacific Primate Sanctuary before she quit her job at the facility. This testing facility has been investigated repeatedly by the USDA for Animal Welfare violations. In 2008 a monkey was killed, through negligence, when the cage she was left in was sent through the hot water power washer. On March 1, 2004 Oona came to PPS along with her parents and seven brothers and sisters. The family was fortunate to be sent to the Sanctuary. One year later, 19 marmosets at the testing facility died leading the USDA to open another series of Animal Welfare violation cases.

Oona deserved the chance to live as a monkey and experience normal behaviors. We found a partner for her in Nigel, and the two bonded immediately. They were given an outdoor enclosure and, for the first time in her life, Oona was exposed to the natural world. She learned to cling to vertical branches and leap agilely from limb to limb, searching for small insects among the leaves. She was exposed to real weather and became familiar with seeking out the sunshine and finding shelter from the rain. To this day, Oona looks for sunshine each morning and exposes her belly to the warmth of the sun’s rays!

In 2008, Oona’s mate Nigel passed away. Oona continued to live with her children for another year, until they became old enough to leave the natal group and were paired with other monkeys. Oona then found companionship with Little Bea, another female White-tufted Eared Marmoset. These two have been together for about a year now, and are getting along wonderfully!

Please help us continue to provide monkeys such as Oona a refuge where they will no longer be exploited or subjected to suffering at human hands! Donate now at http://www.pacificprimate.org/help-donate.htm

SANCTUARY NEWS

Over the last month, the monkeys at PPS have been getting to know their newest caregivers, Intern Olivia and Volunteer Charlene! They are all quite inquisitive, spending much time watching the new volunteers as they learn animal care protocol. Both Olivia and Charlene have been eager to learn, and the monkeys seem to be very much at ease around them.

Davis and Cordelia, a caring couple

The monkeys spent a lot time focusing on their social bonds this month. Anna and Lazero, a pair of Cotton Top Tamarins, enjoyed nestling closely together under their heat lamps on rainy days. Cordelia received a thorough full body grooming session from her mate, Davis. Nikki and Lily spent hours playing together – wrestling and chasing one another up and around their special double hammock!

Otis, a White-tufted Eared Marmoset, was finally moved into an outdoor enclosure in the new extension this month. He loves to be outside, even in the rain!

Apollo outside on his jungle walkway

Echo and Apollo are a pair of elderly Tamarins who will both be celebrating their 16th birthdays this month- Apollo on the 25th and Echo on the 28th! They have limited mobility, and require a special walkway to access the outside. This month their walkway was revamped and their outdoor enclosure was pruned. With the fresh pruning the sunlight has been streaming in, giving them ample opportunities to sunbathe on their walkway.

We have two very special White Faced Capuchin birthdays in April!

Happy 20th Birthday
Miracle!

Prospero turns

15 on April 10th

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 4, Part 2

2011-04-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

Spider Monkey Enclosures
Thanks to Steven, the first phase of construction of the new Spider Monkey Enclosures is finished! He has made and installed sliding doors, which will allow us to close off either of the round sections when needed. At this point, the enclosure is filled with plants, branches and ropes ready for the Spider monkeys to move in. Once they are comfortably entering a transfer crate, we will be able to move them into their new home- and install the final section!

The new Spider Monkey Enclosure- nearly complete!

Long time donors and friends of Pacific Primate Sanctuary have made generous contributions towards the construction of the Spider Monkey facility. However, we still need another $3,000 to complete this project. Generosity and compassion are the stuff miracles are made of; please become one of the Sanctuary’s Miracle Workers.
A Sanctuary supporter writes: ”It is OUR privilege to support people like you and the PPS volunteers. You make a difference in this crazy world of ours.”

HELPING THE MONKEYS

How to Donate Directly
We rely upon your continued contributions. Please encourage your friends and relatives to make tax-deductible donations to the Sanctuary.

You can donate online on our Website: www.pacificprimate.org or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PacificPrimateSanctuary using PayPal
or by sending your check to:

Pacific Primate Sanctuary

500-A Haloa Road

Haiku, HI 96708

Donation of Goods

Please let us know if you’d like to donate goods to the Sanctuary. PPS has a Wish List of things we need. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to two retail businesses in the Maui community that make significant contributions to Pacific Primate Sanctuary. THANK YOU to Down to Earth and Whole Foods for your support of our work and willingness to assist us by providing donations of food for the primates. Each week we receive boxes of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, bread, nuts and grains. The monkeys are always very excited to receive the delicious special items provided by these two generous stores!

PPS RESIDENCY

Our newest Intern, Olivia, is settling in well at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. Olivia has been learning how to provide daily care to the 73 monkeys living at PPS. She is now proficient in preparing food and providing enrichment for the monkeys, maintaining the Sanctuary facility, learning to update PPS Manuals, and has already graduated from her AM and PM shift protocol training,

Olivia is now being trained in Emergency Care procedures. She is learning to provide specialized individual primate care, with a focus on increasing observational skills, transfer and capture, and medicating. Olivia’s emergency care training will deepen as she learns to calculate drug dosages, check vital signs, use an incubator, and administer subcutaneous fluids. We are so glad to have such a bright trainee and are eager to assist Olivia in mastering the skills necessary to become a Primary Animal Caregiver!

We have recently updated the resident intern page on our website- providing current information for future applicants as well as adding images and insightful comments from past Interns. Please visit our website to see this new page: (http://www.pacificprimate.org/future.htm)

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