Newsletter No. 42
Protecting primates and habitats worldwide
Registered charity No: 1102532
IN THIS ISSUE: Monkey Sanctuary update, find out about our new monkey rescues Coco and Kiki and lots more
It’s the monkeys who matter!
Kiki Top Tweets
Staff profile:
Jess Stevens
Karl Leys @LeysKarl How adorable are Coco and Kiki! Please support @wildfutures to rescue more Marmosets
How did you first get involved with Wild Futures?
Thanks to the fantastic people who do believe that it’s the monkeys who matter, Wild Futures has entered a new era in its history with the arrival of Coco and Kiki, our first marmoset rescues. Read their story on page 8 and find out more about this amazing species in our Fact File.
death nell @nelleficent Seeing primates kept as pets makes me both furious and deeply sad (follow @wildfutures for info on why it’s an awful thing to do) Gembat @skylarkgem Great day @wildfutures monkey sanctuary. wonderful monkeys cared for by dedicated people. Lovely veggie food too at tree top cafe #monkeys
Another new venture for Wild Futures over the last 12 months has been our participation in the European Volunteer Scheme (EVS). In June we say goodbye to the first of our EVS volunteers. We have loved sharing our work with Iuliia and know that she will be doing good work for animals back home in Russia and we look forward to hosting many more volunteers from around the world. On Supporters’ Day in June we launched our biggest raffle ever, with wonderful prizes donated by generous friends. By September we hope to have sold thousands of tickets and be celebrating the opening of the next stage of Mission Marmoset. A huge thank you from all the primates, human and non-human,
Dave Rumsam @DaveRumsam Great place to visit and even better place to volunteer!! Primate Conservation @PrimConsOBU Big thank you to @wildfutures in Cornwall for taking so good care of us over the weekend & for sharing your expertise and knowledge with us!
Rachel
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Thank you for sharing the Wild Futures’ vision: A world in which people understand and respect the welfare and conservation needs of primates and habitats, where primates have a wild future and the need to provide sanctuary for victims of the pet trade has passed.
Wild Futures, Murrayton House, St Martins, Looe, Cornwall PL13 1NZ Tel: 01503 262532 • Email: info@wildfutures.org Web: wildfutures.org • monkeysanctuary.org • adoptamonkey.org @wildfutures
facebook.com/wildfutures
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Please pass this newsletter on to a friend or neighbour to raise awareness of our work.
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Wild Futures relies heavily on the kind hearted generosity of others to carry out our charity aims. From people giving up their time to raise money for us, to people that donate goods as well as money, we are always grateful. In addition to our individual supporters, over the years, we have been lucky enough to have vital support from corporate companies.
Wild Futures
Reading through this edition of our newsletter I am yet again struck by the wonderful support Wild Futures receives. There are a lot of people out there who care enough about the plight of primates (when 60% are threatened by human actions) and habitats to reach out and do a little, or even a lot, to help. We are a small charity with a big vision and bigger responsibilities, caring for victims of the primate pet trade at our sanctuary. The pressure to find sufficient funds can be daunting but when a donation arrives from a cake sale or a car wash, an “in memory” cheque or a letter of thanks from one of our visitors, we are inspired to keep looking. We would love not to be needed, but meanwhile there is a lot that can be done to help.
Cireson @teamcireson We proudly support @wildfutures, a primate welfare charity providing sanctuary to primates in need. Learn more http://okt.to/u7V8zk
Thank you
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Having had some experience working with primates at sanctuaries abroad, I desperately wanted to work towards ending the pet trade in the UK. Having researched many organisations in different countries I came across Wild Futures, whose ethos and ethics aligned very much with my own. I applied for the primate caregiver role and was lucky enough to get the job. The wonderful thing about Wild Futures is that it gives people like me, without years of primate experience, the opportunity to start up in the field by investing all their years of knowledge and skills into me.
We are extremely lucky to be a named charity with a company called Cireson. They started supporting us through our corporate adoption scheme where they adopted Amy, and our relationship has gone from strength to strength. We want to express our gratitu de to Cireson who are continuing to donate $5000 every quarter, a donation that is helping us tremendously.
What is your role? I am a Primate Caregiver, but specifically, I work with the Barbary macaques, and most recently the newly rescued marmosets, spending most days cleaning their enclosures, creating new pieces of stimulating enrichment, and monitoring their socialisations.
Just before Christmas we received a wonderful phone call from our friends at Animal Friends Insurance. We were in complete shock to be told that they were donating £5000 to us! A wonderful early Christmas present for the monkeys, thank you Animal Friends Insurance, we are very grateful!
What challenges have you faced over the years? With a very close family, the challenge I always seem to face in this field is being apart from them. Whether it is working in conservation abroad, or in a sanctuary in a corner of Cornwall, I will always miss them.
What inspires you?
These donations are crucial to help us continue caring for our rescued monkeys and fulfil our charity aims. Thank you Cireson, Animal Friends Insurance and all of our dedicated corporate sponsors!
The team I work with, their experiences, skills, and knowledge always inspires me to improve and learn more.
What do you hope to achieve in the future? I would love to one day build my own rescue, rehab and release centre for native species in South America, working closely with indigenous groups to build on community conservation that has the interest of both the animals and the people of the rainforest to provide a more sustainable future.
Promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates
Jess
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Monkey Sanctuary Café and Shop revamp
THE MONKEY SANCTUARY UPDATE We have been very busy here at The Monkey Sanctuary this winter and we are pleased to report that a lot has been going on!
Lily enjoying the early spring sunshine
educational, with lots of fun, interactive, and immersive activities available to people. We opened the Wild Play area for the first time in February half term and it was a huge success and we have had positive feedback ever since! Come and visit us and check it out for yourselves! We are very pleased to announce that we received silver for Sustainable Tourism at the Cornwall Tourism award and Bronze for the same award at the South West Tourism awards! As a small charity it is great to see our hard work paying off and that we are fulfilling our goals as a charity. Recognition through awards like these are a huge achievement for us!
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have been able to rescue our first marmosets from the UK primate pet trade! We have also been able to push forward with phase one of the big build to rescue more marmosets, you can read more about that on our appeals page. At the Monkey Sanctuary the Treetop café and gift shop have gone through a bit of a revamp over the winter months. When visiting you can now relax and unwind with a nice cup of tea and slice of cake in what used to be the Victorian parlour whilst taking in the beautiful sea view. If you are in the area why not stop by and try the new menu at the Treetop café, where you can tuck into a tasty falafel wrap or delicious vegetarian burger and chips. Alternatively cool down with a locally sourced ice cream.
To make room for our big marmoset build, we had to say goodbye to our beloved activity room at The Monkey Sanctuary. As soon as we closed for the season, our education officer, along with our dedicated interns, started clearing out the activity room in preparation for its destruction. In doing so, they found lots of old signs and memorabilia from the 60s and 70s, the early days of The Monkey Sanctuary, which we hope to put back on display sometime soon. Once the building was clear, our site team began deconstructing the building, and as soon as it was down, they prepped the site and began phase one of the big marmoset build!
Wild Play Area
To replace our activity room, the education team decided to create a brand new Wild Play area with the idea to make nature more accessible to children. Based loosely on a forestry school theme, the Wild Play area is both enjoyable and
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Cornwall Tourism Awards
Mario’s Story Mario is a beautiful male Barbary macaque. He has been residing at the Sanctuary for over 8 years giving us the chance to watch his character develop from a confused juvenile into a strong alpha adult and we would like to share his story. Barbary macaques live in Morocco, Algeria and Gibraltar. So how did Mario end up living in Cornwall? The primate pet trade includes a large variety of species and sadly Barbary macaques are no exception. In 2007 police found Mario chained to a lamppost in Paris. He was placed into a local zoo where he met two other Barbary macaques (Chico and Donkey) who had been rescued that same year. They were relocated to a British primate sanctuary, which, unfortunately, was later forced to close due to the nationwide ‘credit crunch’. The Monkey Sanctuary was contacted and agreed to home the macaques. Form the very beginning, carers noticed that Mario was a strong character with lots of self-confidence, aspiring for the role as alpha male in the group. After some time it was clear that this role suits him the best and provides a calm atmosphere in the group.
South West Tourism Awards
Unfortunately it has not all been good news this winter. Our beloved Kwango sadly passed away after a short illness. Kwango was an elderly monkey at the age of 35, and we take comfort in the fact that she did not suffer long. She will always be remembered for her indomitable spirit and wonderful ‘good food roar’ that was heard all over the sanctuary. We would always know when her favourite foods like egg and avocado were on the menu by her roar! She was in a group with Lodi and Gucci, and will be missed by humans and monkeys alike. Gucci and Lodi have coped well with the passing of their friend, and we continue to keep a close eye on them and how they are coping. We hope to see you at The Monkey Sanctuary soon.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Despite the abuse that Mario experienced in his life as a pet, which understandably led to distrust of humans, he learnt to trust his carers at the Sanctuary. He prefers a quiet life and seems to most enjoy sitting high up in his territory and surveying the world around him. He and Donkey often spend their mornings together whilst the carers clean the Barbary territory. Unlike Donkey (who was castrated at an early age), Chico represents a real threat to Mario’s leadership as he also wants to be the boss. But a wide yawn
M ario and a quick shake of a branch or beam is usually enough to remind all who need know that ultimately, Mario is in charge. He is a clever monkey and keeping him busy is a challenge for carers, especially in the afternoons – this is usually when Donkey chooses to socialise with Chico, and so Mario is left without company. Carers provide all sorts of enrichment items for the boys to unwrap, break open, pull apart or otherwise dismantle and it seems that Mario is particularly fond of boxes stuffed with paper wrapped around treats.
Corporate Donations We would like to say a big thank you to two corporate supporters, Munky products and Happy Monkey, for their generosity.
Munky products are a new company that got in touch with us late last year, enquiring about Wild Futures becoming their charity of choice. As well as adding Wild Futures to their packaging, ensuring their customers hear all about our work, they also donated brand new scales to weigh the monkeys. This donation couldn’t have come at a better time as it enabled us to weigh all of our Barbary Macaques during their routine health checks.
Barbary Macaque carer, Jessica, told us a story from Mario’s life at the Sanctuary: “Mario is a proud, self-assured boy and will sometimes try to demonstrate his impressive physique to onlookers like Chico. He reminds them of his strength by throwing anything he can get his hands on, be that large enrichment items such as tyres, or small pieces of food. One day, Chico was particularly confident and was demonstrating (shaking the beams and the ropes) in the Atlas (one of their enclosures) whilst I was putting food around their territory. In response to this Mario ran over to the food shelf grabbed a large chunk of beetroot (not his favourite veg) and threw it across the large enclosure; he chased after it but suddenly lost his footing and fell down the steep hill, looking very ungraceful, and not so macho. He quickly got up and shook it off, casually walking back to the food shelf secretly hoping that no one saw!” If you enjoyed Mario’s story and would like to adopt him please visit adoptamonkey.org or visit him onsite.
Operating a sanctuary to care for victims of the UK primate pet trade
Happy Monkey have donated an incredible gift in the form of a large quantity of their Happy Monkey Splashies to sell within the Treetop café and Gift Shop at the Monkey Sanctuary. Their generous donation has really helped us to keep our costs down meaning we are able to make more profit which all goes back to the vital work of Wild Futures. Find out more about our corporate sponsors and how your place of work or business can become one at www. wildfutures.org/waystohelp/ corporate-sponsorship
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Murrayton History
CAMPAIGNS UPDATE
Today, Murrayton House offers a safe haven for victims of the UK and international primate pet trade but this house has had a long history and we want to share a little of it with you.
to licencing and regulation so changing the licence will not be effective if there is already non-compliance. We remain strong in our campaign that a total ban on the private ownership of primates is the only way forward. A total ban is the only way that we can guarantee that primates will be protected as has been proved in other countries around the world, including in Europe. Although the debate didn’t focus on a total ban, we are still pleased that the subject has been brought up again and is at least being discussed among members of parliament and DEFRA. We will keep you updated as much as we can over the coming months.
contacted UNILAD, a social media page that has over 25 million followers that was sharing these videos. UNILAD first posted a video last year which was titled ‘Searching for f**ks to give’, of Angel, a pet macaque in America, drinking from a plastic cup and straw whilst ‘reading’ a book. We became aware of it quite quickly, as within hours; the video had well over two million hits. As expected, the inevitable “I want one” comments appeared almost immediately.
Thank you Resource donations are very important here at Wild Futures and we are lucky enough to be supported by some very generous companies. They provide items that help with the everyday care of the monkeys, enrichment to keep the monkeys active, as well as other less obvious things like office supplies.
Primates in Entertainment Murrayton House
In 1854 Murrayton House was built by a local landowner and auctioneer, William Murray. The house has been standing for over 160 years as a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic architecture. The architecture of the house is styled in Gothic Tudor Revival design, with large black beams and hooded gables and windows, which was extremely fashionable in the Victorian period.
Ernest Murray
William Murray fathered ten children. We know that most married and left Cornwall, going as far as Canada and South Africa. The sixth child, Alfred Ernest Murray; inherited Murrayton House from his mother Jane after her death and was the last Murray family member to occupy the house. He died in 1939 ending over eighty decades of Murray residence. If you visit The Monkey Sanctuary, you will be able to learn all about Murrayton House in our brand new history trail around the site!
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Our campaigns officer and Director at Parliament
Over the winter months our campaign to end the UK primate pet trade has been developing really well. We have been busy working with our coalition partners, The RSPCA, Four Paws, Captive Animals’ Protection Society, Born Free Foundation, and British Veterinary Association, to promote our campaign and work together to get the government to help protect primates and ban the pet trade. We have been pushing our joint petition to end the primate pet trade. We have over 46,000 signatures now, but we desperately need to reach 50,000 so please sign and share our petition to help us reach that target www.protectprimates.org In February we co-hosted a parliamentary reception with our coalition partners. We invited Members of Parliament (MPs) to attend the event to find out more about the plight of primates in the UK primate pet trade. The event was a huge success with 30 MPs attending and pledging to support a ban on the trade. We attended the event with lots of information, facts, figures, and images about the monkeys that we care for who were rescued from the trade. It provided a really good visual aid for us to talk to the MPs with; it was astonishing that a lot of them had absolutely no idea that the trade was even legal, let alone happening. Having the opportunity to talk face to face to MPs and really explain to
them the awful facts of the UK primate pet trade was an incredible opportunity and we really hope to keep up the momentum on this. As a result of that parliamentary reception, an end of day adjournment debate was called so MPs could discuss the plight of primates as pets. We were very excited about this, as the issue of primates as pets has been relatively quiet in parliament over the last year or so. Unfortunately it didn’t go completely in our favour with MPs discussing better regulations and licences for privately owned primates over a total ban.
We continue to campaign against the use of primates in entertainment and something that is becoming increasingly popular is the sharing of videos of primates in domestic settings on Social Media. Recently we have seen some very upsetting videos of primates dressed up and eating spaghetti, getting into a ‘spat’ with a dog, having baths, and a full make up ‘pamper sessions’! It is a huge challenge to try and change people’s perceptions; that the videos that they are watching are not cute and wonderful but in fact abusive. We worked together with Neotropical Primate Conservation, Barbary Macaque Awareness and Conservation, Captive Animals’ Protection Society, North America Primate Sanctuary Alliance, and Moroccan Primate Conservation and
We would like to say a big thank you to: Aldi Liskeard, Quayside Fresh Looe and Morrisons Liskeard for regular food donations. We wrote to UNILAD numerous times asking them to stop sharing videos like that one of Angel, but sadly to this day we have still not had a response, and they continue to post these videos. It will not deter us though, and we keep the pressure on and politely ask organisations to stop posting these videos, explaining the detrimental effects that it has on primates and the primate pet trade!
Tesco Lee Mill for continuing to have our nuts bin in their store where their generous customers can leave nuts for the monkeys to enjoy. Viridian for providing vital vitamins for the monkeys. Riverford Home Delivery Cornwall for donating sunflower heads which are the woolly monkeys favourite. Yale for continuing to provide locks for securing enclosures. Dart Rock Climbing Centre, Barn Climbing Wall, HMS Raleigh, YMCA Plymouth and English Braids Limited for donating rope allowing us to re-rope the monkey territories helping to keep the monkeys enriched and active. Bigger Printing for continuing to help us educate our visitors with bright and bold displays. Dams Furniture Ltd for donating two amazing office chairs.
Members of our coalition at Parliament
We, along with our coalition partners, agree that better regulations and licencing for privately owned primates will not improve the situation or offer them better protection. Years of research has shown that there is still non-compliance
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Grips sadly suffers from type 2 diabetes due to his diet when he was kept as a pet. He now has to be on oral medication for the rest of his life and he sometimes gets a ‘sticky’ look on his fur as well. Another example of why primates should never be kept as pets
Working to end the primate trade and abuse of primates in captivity
Find out more about the important day to day items we are in need of at w w w. w i l d f u t u r e s . o r g / w a y s t o h e l p / p a r c e l s - f o rprimates-monkey-wish-listappeal
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Meet Coco and Kiki… our FIRST marmoset rescues! This meant that we could say yes to rescuing Coco and Kiki straight away! When they first arrived they were understandably very nervous. After a full vet check we let them settle into their new home. With so many new sounds and smells around them, they stayed side by side taking comfort from one another. When they were pets, they lived on a diet of biscuits, cereal, yogurt and other high sugar items, an inappropriate but addictive diet for marmoset monkeys. A massive thank you to all our supporters who helped make Coco and Kiki’s rescue possible. Without you, they would still be suffering. You saved them from that life… Coco and Kiki were born destined for a life in the UK primate pet trade. Both of them were snatched from their mothers when days old to start their lives as pets, a completely alien environment for these tiny victims of the trade.
Coco and Kiki were kept in a home in Wales. Coco was the first marmoset his owners bought, and he spent the first year of his life completely alone. Twelve months later, after his owners realised that marmosets should not be kept alone, they bought Kiki to keep him company.
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“WE ARE AMAZED AT THEIR STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE TO ALL THAT HAS GONE ON IN THEIR PREVIOUS LIFE. THEY HAVE SETTLED IN INCREDIBLY WELL, GROWING IN CONFIDENCE AND EACH DAY A LITTLE MORE OF THEIR PERSONALITIES COME OUT.”
We found the same thing with Coco and Kiki that we do with most of our rescues, when we feed them the correct diet, they do not want to know since biscuits and sweets taste better than fruit and vegetables! Luckily, it did not take long for Kiki to try out her new diet and realise that actually the fruit, vegetables, and gum that we gave her was much better than the processed, high sugar diet that she was on before! After owning Coco for nearly two years, and Kiki for one, their owner realised that keeping these two as pets was the wrong thing to do. They contacted Wild Futures, and the end of Coco and Kiki’s lives as pets was one step closer. We had recently finished building the isolation unit here at Wild Futures’ Monkey Sanctuary, which can also act as a temporary home for rescued marmosets before our big build is complete.
Kiki is the more confident of the two. From the moment they arrived, Kiki took the lead when it came to trying new things. Coco relied heavily on Kiki to show him the way and to help him relax in his new environment. Now they have been here a few months, both have grown in confidence, and Coco feels safe enough to explore things alone.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
“WHENEVER WE GIVE THEM NEW FOOD OR ENRICHMENT, THEY ARE SO EXCITED AND HAPPY WITH IT. AS THEIR CARERS WE GET A HUGE AMOUNT OF SATISFACTION KNOWING THAT THEY ARE HAPPY AND ENJOYING THEIR LIFE HERE.”
“WATCHING THEM EXPLORE THEIR NEW ENVIRONMENT, SAMPLE DIFFERENT FOODS, AND GAIN IN STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING AND MAKES ALL OF OUR HARD WORK WORTHWHILE. WE THANK ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.”
The marmosets’ home was a bird cage, no bigger than two metres high, in a room within the house. They were occasionally allowed out of their cage. Being the older marmoset, Coco reached sexual maturity before Kiki. He became more aggressive and territorial as he reached ‘adulthood’, resulting in him biting his owner on more than one occasion.
In the wild, common marmosets live in extended family groups of 3-15 individuals. The group usually consists of one adult breeding pair and their offspring, but can include two breeding males. The dominant adults will be the only members of the group to produce young; however the rest of the group will all help take care of them. The group will forage for food and sleep together, always with a sentry watching for predators. This natural way of living can never be replicated in a domestic setting; being someone’s pet has huge detrimental effects, both physically and mentally.
Quotes from Coco and Kiki’s carers:
We want to say a huge thank you to all our supporters who helped us make Coco and Kiki’s rescue possible. Unfortunately, Coco and Kiki’s story is not unique. There are hundreds of marmosets being kept as pets in the UK and they have little to no protection offered to them. We currently have two marmosets waiting for their forever home at The Monkey Sanctuary, and we have had many more enquiries. We are desperately fundraising to finish our Mission Marmoset appeal, and we call on the kind nature of our supporters to help us reach that goal. We are making good progress with stage one of the big build. The site team worked hard over the winter to get the building up, which is so exciting, and now they can focus on the intricate details of each individual enclosure within the building. Each week we are one step closer to finishing the build and being able to rescue more marmosets… but we cannot do it without your help. If you think you can help with our Mission Marmoset, please let us know. There are many ways that you can raise money for marmosets, you could do a sponsored walk, organise a cake sale, complete a challenge on your bucket list, or donate directly to us via our website. For more information about how you can help, please contact fundraising@wildfutures.org With your help we CAN rescue more marmosets from the cruel trade, we hope by the time our winter newsletter comes out; we will be able to report that Coco and Kiki have new marmoset neighbours!! Thank you for your continued support! We want to say a HUGE thank you to Pilkington UK, who not only donated windows for the isolation unit, but they have also given us the windows for the big build! This has meant we have saved an incredible amount of money, and we want to thank Pilkington from the bottom of our hearts for their generosity. We also owe a huge amount of gratitude to Encon insulation Ltd who gave us a massive discount on insulation for the big build saving more precious funds. Thank you!
Conserving natural habitats through education and sustainable living
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EDUCATION UPDATE We held our annual Primate Welfare and Conservation Short Course at The Monkey Sanctuary in March which was a great success! This year saw the highest attendance so far with 27 students and one staff member from Cornwall College Newquay.
Copyright Francesco Veronesi
Common Marmosets Fact File Latin Name: Callithrix jacchus Native to: East-central Brazil Group Size: 9 - 15 individuals Lifespan: average 12 years Diet: Tree exudates (gums and saps), small animal prey and fruits Home Range: vary from 5,000 to 65,000 square meters Special Characteristics: a high degree of cooperative care of the young and some food sharing and tolerated theft Common marmosets are some of the tiniest primates with an average height of 185 - 188 mm. On average, males weigh 256 g and females 236 g. Marmosets are found primarily in the tropical rainforests of South America with a few remnant populations located in Central America. Common marmosets live in extended family groups of 3 to 15 animals. This family group usually consists of one adult breeding pair and their offspring, but can also include two breeding males. The dominant adults will be the only members of the group to produce young; however the rest of the group will all help take care of the young. The group will forage for food together and sleep together, always with a sentry watching for predators. The common marmoset is entirely arboreal (tree dwelling) and prefers secondary or disturbed forests and edge habitat.
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The group will have a small territory of around five hectares which they defend; they will forage for food within this territory and use scent marking to define the borders. This territory is chosen based on the quantity of gum trees, with an average of no less than 50 gum trees per hectare. Within the territory are set sleeping trees, usually thick with vines and foliage for protection, which are used to sleep in regularly.
The course ran over three days and consisted of a mixture of workshops, some theoretical, and others more practical based. The students learned all about the taxonomy of primates, the rationale behind the design of the monkey enclosures, how to safely catch monkeys for transport or rescue, and were introduced to a variety of topics concerning primate conservation. We received fantastic feedback from the students, so a big thank you to them all for attending. Our friends at Oxford Brookes Primate Conservation MSc course also visited The Monkey Sanctuary in March. Their students spent two days with us learning all about our primate rescue and welfare work. This is a another great opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise with future primatologists who may well go on to work and run other sanctuaries in the future.
Spiders, tree sap, bird eggs, and small vertebrates make up the diet of the Common Marmoset. They will eat well on what they can find and may be picky when food is plentiful. What is very interesting is that they are the only primates other than humans that may suffer from the eating disorder known as Anorexia. The group communicates with a range of calls; some of these calls are too high pitched for the human ear to hear as marmosets can hear higher frequencies than humans. Like all marmoset and tamarin species they have claw-like nails, known as tegulae, on their fingers, and nails on their thumbs. This allows them to grip the bark of trees when climbing. Unlike a lot of primates they do not have opposable thumbs. Male marmosets are dichromatic, or colour blind, making reds, greens, browns, and oranges all appear similar. The female can be dichromatic, but most are trichromatic, seeing colour the same way as most humans.
Copyright Francesco Veronesi
Did you know? - Common marmosets are sometimes called cotton-eared marmosets because of the large white tufts of hair that surround their ears. - Their name ‘marmoset’ comes from the French word ‘marmouset’ meaning ‘dwarf’, or ‘little’.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
The exciting development of the Monkey Sanctuary starting to rescue marmosets has meant that we have had to find room for a new building for them. The isolation area for them (which Coco and Kiki are currently living in), is situated next to our capuchins in the rescue centre, but we demolished the old Activity Room to make room for phase two of the Marmoset build. Hence we needed to build a new activity area for children (and their parents!) to explore for this year’s open season. We’ve had great fun creating our new Wild Play Area which is
situated next to the children’s playground in the wildlife gardens. The new play area is full of rustically designed outdoor style activities and is housed within a large marquee. Activities include making music with drain pipes, giant Jenga, a sensory herb garden, nature exploration table, and other activities for children to explore. Please come and visit us and check it out!
Three great reasons to adopt a monkey! We thought you might like to know why adopting a monkey is such a brilliant idea…
1: Primates need your help!
As well as our new Wild Play area, we also have the newly equipped Wildlife Room for people to enjoy onsite. Since we have reopened to the public, both areas have been very popular and saw a lot of children exploring all the new activities, which seemed to be a great success. We would like to say another big thank you to Nature Save for their generous grant that allowed us to redesign our Wildlife Room. In January this year the Monkey Sanctuary team took part in the Cultural Minds study. Researchers at the University of Exeter invited groups of people from across Cornwall to take part in a fun experiment to help them understand how human culture develops, with a chance to win £1,000 in return. We cannot give you details yet about how the study works as it is still ongoing, but we can tell you that our staff enjoyed taking part (though some were a little competitive at times!), and we’ll keep you posted when we can!
Stop the Press!! We have just been awarded a new grant of £1000 from The Naturesave Trust, for which we are incredibly grateful. We will use this generous grant to redesign our important bat zone. Thanks to Naturesave for your continued support!
Promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates
In the UK there are thousands of monkeys being kept as pets in unsuitable conditions, alone and suffering. By adopting a monkey, you’ll be helping us raise funds to continue our vital work to stop the primate pet trade, rescue monkeys in need, and fund our campaigns and education work.
2: It’s a unique and meaningful gift! Adopting a Monkey is the perfect gift for all ages! With all profits going towards our charitable work you can rest assured that your adoption gift will be helping Wild Futures to protect primates and habitats worldwide, as well as being a wonderful surprise for someone you love.
3: Support your very own adopted monkey! By adopting a monkey, you’ll receive a cuddly monkey toy, a personalised certificate, a photo and story of your adopted monkey, newsletters and discounted entrance to our Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall. You will also be invited to our VIP Supporters Day! Adopting a monkey couldn’t be easier, simply visit www.adoptamonkey.org Thank you!
Adopters Jessica and Ben Sedgley with donated treats for Mickey and Lily
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Recipe Vegan Curry
- 100g red lentils - 2 medium onions - 3 medium carrots - 1 red pepper
EVS (European Voluntary Service) helps to provide young people with life-long experiences and skills, at a project of their dreams, from 2 months up to one year, even if it’s on the other side of the world. In return, organisations, like us, get passionate and hardworking volunteers in all aspects of the charity’s work. Dedicated staff, supporters and volunteers are the three main ingredients which keep Wild Futures alive and ever-growing. Last year we joined the EVS program and are currently hosting the first four EVS volunteers - from Russia, Georgia, France and Poland.
‘The EVS scheme has enabled me to go abroad and to learn English within an organization I wanted to work with. The Monkey Sanctuary is a wonderful and multicultural place, which has made my experience even better. I’m working as the Education Assistant and I’m involved with a lot of monkey-related activities. I now know that I’d like to work as a primate carer and thanks to the knowledgeable carers at the Sanctuary I have learnt a lot. More than a working place, I consider the Sanctuary my home.’ - Morgane from France working as an Education Assistant
- 6 garlic cloves - 70g fresh ginger - 1 red chilli Ilona
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp paprika - 1 tbsp turmeric - 1 tbsp garam masala - 2 x 400g chopped tomatoes - 300ml water - 200ml coconut milk Bring lentils to the boil for 15 – 20mins. Blitz vegetables, garlic and ginger in a food processor.
Iuliia
‘This was a big decision – to stay in a different country for a whole year but I have no regrets. The Monkey Sanctuary is a warm and friendly place which makes you feel like you are at home. I am a volunteer in the PR and Fundraising department and have gained so much experience from being here. My dream is to help animals and thanks to Wild Futures and the EVS programme I have learnt how to do this in a professional way. ‘Learning in action’ best describes the EVS scheme and from my point of view it is the best way of learning.’ - Iuliia from Russia working as a PR and Fundraising Assistant
Add oil to a pan, heat, and then add spices. When fragrant add onions, carrots, pepper, garlic, ginger and chilli. Fry until softened.
Allow to reduce and serve with rice (if too spicy accompany with plain soya yogurt).
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‘Volunteering has always been of a great interest to me. I was motivated to do the EVS scheme because the experiences you gain whilst abroad are the most rewarding and memorable. I chose Wild Futures because I like their ethos and I wanted to help them with their campaign to end the primate pet trade in the UK and abroad. Most of the time, I work in the gift shop at The Monkey Sanctuary but sometimes I get to work with the monkeys too. I have gained a lot of experience during my project and I am lucky that I got the chance to be here.’ – Ilona from Georgia working as Retail Assistant Dedicated volunteers, like the three above, are so important for a small charity like Wild Futures and without them we would not be able to continue with our vital work. Anyone aged from 18 to 30 can take part in the EVS scheme and become a volunteer in a project of their choice; at Wild Futures we also help place volunteers on other projects in other countries.
Add tomatoes, water, and lentils. Simmer for 30 minutes and add the coconut milk.
Morgane
Tam Legacy and in memory giving Did you know that you can leave a gift to Wild Futures in your will? In leaving a legacy, a gift of life is enabled, all the while preserving the memories that people hold so dear.
- olive oil
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
Overseas Support
European Voluntary Service
Find out more about the EVS scheme here http://www.wildfutures.org/europeanvoluntary-service
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Wild Futures rescues and offers sanctuary to monkeys who have suffered abuse and neglect. We are also dedicated to protecting primates and habitats worldwide; flora and fauna around the world are endangered by climate change, habitat destruction, and the bush-meat and pet trades. For some species, it is too late. The future of all that remains lies in our hands, so your legacy to Wild Futures is the gift of life and a future for primates and our wonderful planet. We continue to be overwhelmed and honoured by the generosity of people leaving legacies to Wild Futures, and donating in memory of a loved one. To think of us in a time that is so hard is inspiring and we are truly thankful for it. We promise that the money that you leave in your will, or which you donate in memory of your loved one, will go straight back into Wild Futures’ work, to preserve what you love. Our holistic approach makes us unique and your legacy will be helping to provide sanctuary to rescued monkeys, supporting projects overseas, campaigning for primate welfare, educating to protect primates worldwide and promoting a sustainable and ethical ethos. For over 50 years we have rescued monkeys suffering from problems such as psychological trauma, diabetes, and metabolic bone disease; but with spacious, natural enclosures, companionship of their own kind, and specialist care, these monkeys learn to enjoy life once again. We receive no government funding, so the generosity of those who remember Wild Futures is essential to enable us to continue our work.
Your legacy can be the gift of a life worth living and a wild and safe future for all. In memory donations are a wonderful way to do something positive to remember a loved one, and preserve the memories that you have shared with that person. Sadly a dedicated adopter and supporter of The Monkey Sanctuary passed away last year. His wife told us of the amazing memories that they made together here and how much they both loved the monkeys, which is why we were one of the charities that they collected money for at his funeral. With that money, we were able to build a new platform in one of the enclosures.
Mario during his routine health check
We recently received a donation that was made in memory of a beloved Mario adopter who sadly passed away. She fell in love with The Monkey Sanctuary and in particular Mario after visiting us and learning about the plight of primates as pets. The money that was so kindly donated by her friends and family went towards the cost of vital routine health checks on Mario, Donkey, and Chico.
We were recently contacted by another EARS (European Alliance of Rescue Centres and Sanctuaries) member in France, Refuge de l’Arche. They contacted us for advice and support on their rescued primates, and we were more than happy to help. Head carer Tania Eldik, and site manager, Tjark Plat went over to France to visit them and this is what they have to say about it: Tania Eldik said: ‘We felt very welcomed and were very happy to meet the team. I could see straight away that they are eager to do their best in animal care and develop more knowledge to provide the best possible environment for primates at their refuge. It was pleasure to do an experience exchange and I hope for further successful collaboration.” Tjark Plat said: ‘I have designed and brought to life quite a few building projects for primates, and I know that a right approach can benefit both monkeys and their carers. I was happy to volunteer my help and share some knowledge and experience with Refuge de l’Arche team.’ The visit was productive, providing an opportunity to discuss important issues, such as enclosure design, husbandry, safety, and animal health.
Leaving a gift for Wild Futures in your will is the ultimate gift you can give, to find out more about our free will writing service, visit www.leaveagifttocornwall.co.uk
Operating a sanctuary to care for victims of the UK primate pet trade
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How to organise a bake sale To help give you a little inspiration we have created this step by step guide to get you started.
Colour the marmoset
Step 1: Make your team; why not get your friends and family to help?
Billy
Can you raise £100 for the Monkeys? Word Search Marmoset Facts Marmosets will make special calls for different types of predators to warn others.
osets make are Many of the calls marm human to hear. too high pitched for a All male common marmosets are colour blind , confusing reds, greens, browns and oranges.
CHEESE! 14
Unlike a lot of primates marmosets do not have opposable thumbs.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Set yourself the goal of raising just £100 for Wild Futures! All donations no matter how big or small make a huge difference to our vital work. Fundraising doesn’t have to be hard work and there are lots of interesting and fun ways for everyone to get involved! Whether it’s something as simple as a coffee morning with your friends, a bake sale at work, or a quiz night at your local pub – organising an event can be so much fun! Why not challenge your friends to raise £100 as well?
Your £100 can help to buy: • 3 months of diabetic medication for the monkeys • Food to feed all the monkeys at the Sanctuary for one day • Two UV lights to keep the monkeys’ bones strong There are so many different ways you can raise money for Wild Futures, you can be as creative as you like and choose an event that suits you. We have a new fundraising pack available on our website (www. wildfutures.org/waystohelp/communityfundraising) that is packed with lots of great ideas, tips and hints for organising your own fundraising event. Alternatively, feel free to contact the fundraising team on fundraising@wildfutures.org
Don’t forget these top tips when planning your fundraising event:
Step 2: Decide on a date and time. Step 3: Decide on a venue. Generally, you want to be somewhere where you will attract many people. Step 4: Get permission from the appropriate authorities. Step 5: Get all the equipment you need, you will need to plan ahead. Step 6: Have posters or other advertising materials showing what you are raising money for.
• Set yourself a realistic fundraising target
Step 7: All the goods should have the ingredients listed, marking items with common allergens.
• Have fun!
Step 8: Set reasonable prices.
• Keep it simple • Plan your time well
Step 9: Have a cash box and start with a reasonable amount of change in it. Write down the amount to calculate how much you’ve earned at the end. Step 10: Thank the customers for their support as they leave. Step 11: Leave the area clean. Tips: Keep us updated with your fundraising efforts so that we can tell everyone about the amazing work that you are doing via our Facebook page, twitter and our biannual newsletter!
• Put out a jar for tips or donations to give people the opportunity to donate without buying.
Good luck and thank you!
• Get drinks to sell as well. A lot of people like to have a drink with their cake.
Without wonderful people like you Wild Futures could not continue the good work of protecting primates and habitats worldwide.
For more how to guides, tips and hints go to www. wildfutures.org/waystohelp/ community-fundraising
Working to end the primate trade and abuse of primates in captivity
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Win for the Monkeys! ✁
We have sent you 10 raffle tickets to buy yourself, or sell to friends and family. It is just £1 per ticket and you could win one of these fantastic prizes:
1st Prize - £1000 cash 2nd Prize - 1 week’s stay in Galmpton, Devon (up to 6 people between 1st Nov 2017 and 1st April 2018)
3rd Prize - A special ‘adopt a monkey’ for the entire family Please return £10, along with the counter foils, in the freepost envelope provided. Please do not send coins but we can accept cheques or notes. If you need more tickets, just email fundraising@wildfutures.org or call 01503 262532 and we’ll get them out to you! The closing date for entries to be included in the draw is 1st September 2017. Winners will be notified by phone or in writing within 14 days of the draw which takes place on 8th September 2017. Terms and conditions can be found at wildfutures.org/raffle. Entrants must be 16 or over to take part.
lodi
Prizes donated by Cireson and Boturnell Farm Cottages. Without your support we would not be able to continue with our vital work protecting primates and habitats worldwide.
Thank You and Good Luck! Tick if you do not need a thank you letter. This helps us to save on postage costs, leaving more money for the monkeys.
Donations
Donations – Please fill in the form below to make your donation – Your generous gift today makes it possible for us to continue our work – Thank you!
A To make a donation to our Marmoset Appeal To make a general donation I would like to make a donation to Wild Futures of £ Cheque / PO made payable to ‘Wild Futures’
Please debit my credit/debit card
Card No Exp. Date Title
Security No. First Name
Valid from Issue number
Surname
Address
Post code
Tel Email Signature Date
B Alternatively, to donate online, please go to www.wildfutures.org Yes! I would like to Gift Aid my donation and all donations I make in the future or have made in the past 4 years to Wild Futures. I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. I will notify Wild Futures of any changes to my name or address, or if I no longer pay sufficient tax or wish to cancel this declaration. I would like to receive the monthly email update on Wild Futures’ work.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Newsletter No. 42