Newsletter No. 41
Protecting primates and habitats worldwide
Registered charity No: 1102532
IN THIS ISSUE: Monkey Sanctuary update, find out about Charlie Brown, mission marmoset appeal update and lots more
Winter is coming… Caju Top Tweets Jillian Etherington @jilletherington Signed up to give a monthly donation to @wildfutures my favourite charity in the world! Joanna Sefton @sefo1968 I just ordered from Wild Futures. Their valuable work protects primates and habitats worldwide. http:// wildfutures.org/donate via @wildfutures Walki’s Monster @LordWalkiWolf Get #funky with the #monkeys! All proceeds from every download go to #primate #charity @wildfutures https:// walkismonster.bandcamp. com/track/the-monkeysong-2016 … #music #song Ben Garrod @Ben_garrod It’s #InternationalPrimateDay and we need to do all we can to help our nearest living relatives. Purely Vegan Store @kcpurelyvegan We love visiting @wildfutures and the Tree Top cafe for tasty #vegan food... Clair Pearl @pearlyclair Thank you @wildfutures my #primatesnotplaymates t-shirt has arrived. Can’t wait to wear it and get the message out there.
Staff profile:
Eoin Fowell Wild Futures
Have you been enjoying the “Indian Summer” as much as the monkeys? As I write in the last days of October, there is still plenty of green around and the leaves have only just started falling. The irony is that while the rescued monkeys at the Wild Futures Sanctuary are basking in the sunshine, this unseasonal weather might well be a signal of problems for their wild cousins in the Americas, Asia and Africa. The latest figures don’t look good with 50% of primates threatened with extinction due to human actions. The pet and bushmeat trades and habitat loss have been major contributors to decline in numbers, but now scientists are becoming more aware than ever that climate change is also having a serious impact. In fact primates are essential to the health of the forests in which they live, the very same forests that protect us from climate change. Hope comes in the Climate Change Paris Agreement earlier in 2016 and the next meeting in Marrakesh, where countries around the world should be enabling the Agreement to come into force. Our beautiful Barbary macaque boys, Mario, Chico and Donkey are all probably originally from Morocco, so there is an extra poignancy for us as we watch preparations for agreements that could literally make the difference between life and death for primates around the world. Commitment from our governments is vital and will follow the good news that Barbary macaques were afforded greater protection at the CITES conference in South Africa in September. There’s more about Barbaries on page 10.
I am in a fortunate position to be able to ask my colleagues if I don’t know the answer to the question. It’s a small way of helping keeping this priceless little outfit going in its beautiful location on the Cornish coast.
What inspires you?
How did you first get involved with Wild Futures? I had a tap on the shoulder a few years ago now and thought, “Why not? Who doesn’t like monkeys?” I expect that is what most people think when they hear about the Monkey Sanctuary. Monkeys are quite cool after all.
I had no real idea what the Sanctuary did, and no idea at all how much goes into the care of these remarkable creatures. It was an eye-opener to find out how often they arrive in terrible shape, physically and emotionally damaged, with no experience of living a normal life in a family group.
The veterinary care alone is prodigious - I often wish my GP took as much interest in me.
The best of the Season’s greetings from all of us, human and non-human primates, at Wild Futures,
Rachel
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Trustee meeting
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
wildfutures
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Thanks to The Naturesave Trust generously giving us a grant, we have been able to update our wildlife room on site with brand new education materials such as new audio technology and interactive displays! As a small charity we rely heavily on grants and trusts to carry out our work so we want to say HUGE thank you to Naturesave.
The work needed to restore them to health and some sort of normal existence is extraordinary.
Closer to home, there is plenty of news to catch up on, including our education projects, the lovely Charlie Brown, our growing variety of supporters, and the latest on our appeal, Mission Marmoset.
Please pass this newsletter on to a friend or neighbour to raise awareness of our work.
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Thank you
What is your role now and what does it involve?
When you realise how much is going on behind the scenes it makes you look again.
Lawyers are not always terribly popular. But charities do have a weakness for legal bods and most Boards of Trustees like to rope one in to make up the numbers. Just to be on the safe side, you know. But apart from the ongoing task of ensuring the charity remains on a sound footing, I can at least help with legal issues, usually to do with employment and HR.
The similarities between them and us human type primates are so obvious, and the psychological problems so similar, that even I came to realise just how individual each of them is. That was a fairly clunky penny-drop moment, it has kept me hooked and involved since then, and will continue to inspire me.
Promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates
We would also like to say a big thank you to Pilkington for donating windows for our Marmoset quarantine build. Resource donations like this are so important, especially for our mission marmoset appeal, as it meant that we could use the money saved from the generous window donation to start on the interior of the building. We are so grateful to Pilkington for helping us to start rescuing marmosets from the cruel trade sooner than we thought!
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Thank you
THE MONKEY SANCTUARY UPDATE
We would like to say a big thank you to Marlow ropes and HMS Raleigh for donating rope for the monkeys’ enclosures. We have to re-rope each enclosure every six months, so that the monkeys are enriched and active, so donations like this are very important. Reroping also requires fixings to attach the ropes to the wooden posts and beams, so we want to say another big thank you to Eliza Tinsley for donating 100 rings-on-plates.
The monkeys have been enjoying a bright summer with many hot days in the sunshine. The spring and summer months are wonderful for the monkeys as they can spend a lot more time outside, playing, grooming and foraging in the natural vegetation in their enclosures.
The monkey carers have been busy as always, caring for our residents here as well as spending time giving talks to the public about our work. They have also spent time re-roping the enclosures, in order to keep them fresh and interesting for the monkeys to explore. The lovely Lily turned two on October the 18th and staying true to the saying of ‘terrible twos’ she has kept her woolly monkey uncles and her carers on their toes. You can hear her tantrums from the other side of the Sanctuary when she doesn’t get what she wants! But luckily the woolly males have learnt to just walk away from her and she will soon stop!
Thank you to Crownhill Green Watch Fire Station for donating 12 lengths of fire hose. The hose is used to create enrichment for the woolly monkeys and woven hammocks and ladders in all of the enclosures to encourage the monkeys to forage for their food. Lastly, we have received a donation of locks which are very important for securing all of our enclosures, we want to say thank you to Yale for donating these to us. Resource donations like this are very important to us here at Wild Futures, as without these we just couldn’t do what is needed. Find out more about the important day-to-day items we are in need of at www. wildfutures.org/waystohelp/ parcels-for-primates-monkeywish-list-appeal
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We have had a great summer season here at the Monkey Sanctuary with lots of visitors coming to see us. All the income from our visitors goes straight to caring for the monkeys that live here, as well as supporting Wild Futures’ work, campaigning, educating and supporting overseas projects to protect primates and habitats worldwide. We want to thank all of our supporters for a lovely summer season! The summer holidays also saw the opening of our brand new toilets on site! You may remember that our first biomass boiler had to be installed in part of our public toilet space, which meant that we were in desperate need of new loos! We took this opportunity to build brand new toilet cubicles with disabled access in a much better location. We are now looking for funding to even further improve our disabled toilet access by getting a hoist and adult changing table installed as well.
Charlie Brown Charlie Brown is a male black-capped capuchin who we believe was born into the primate pet trade in 2000. Capuchin babies are totally reliant on their mothers for the first few months of their lives. Sadly, Charlie Brown was denied this experience and was stolen from his mother at a young age to bond with his human ‘owners’. Pet primates are often kept completely isolated. Isolation from monkeys of their own kind and a lack of stimulation leads to a number of abnormal psychological behaviours, such as pacing and head twisting. Unfortunately Charlie Brown fell victim to this common consequence of the primate pet trade.
The monkeys love the warm days and can be seen lying flat out sunbathing on their platforms in the trees enclosure. When the weather is like this, we get creative with enrichment and make ice lollies and ice blocks full of the monkeys’ favourite treats! Over the last few months, we have been really fortunate to have had visits from members of the Murray family who owned this house before it became The Monkey Sanctuary. We are very interested in the history of our home, so it was wonderful meeting them and swapping knowledge and photos of the history of the site. If you know anything about the Murrayton house, or indeed are a relative of the family, or know of other former residents, we would love to hear from you!
Thanks to all of our wonderful supporters donating money to our marmoset appeal, our site team has been hard at work completing the marmoset quarantine build. You can read more about this later on in the newsletter!
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Host a vegan dinner party for Wild Futures
We first heard of Charlie Brown when he had been removed from his owner’s home and had ended up in a rescue centre close to us. The owner of the sanctuary couldn’t socialise Charlie Brown with other blackcapped capuchins as they bullied him, probably due to his lack of social skills caused by his years of isolation. He was living with an elderly female capuchin, Missy, but Charlie Brown needed to be with other capuchins closer to his age. In 2005 we were asked to rehome both Charlie Brown and Missy which we happily agreed to do.
The arrival of Boo Boo, a young female, who also suffered from a lack of social skills, really helped Charlie Brown. They played together and met other monkeys, which enabled them to learn the skills needed for living with the older monkeys in Frosty’s group. In 2011 a young male called Billy was socialised into their group. Charlie Brown and Billy really hit it off and they played wonderfully together. Charlie Brown helped Billy to make the transition from a lonely pet to a social monkey. Despite Billy now being much bigger than Charlie Brown, they continue to spend time together, playing whenever they can! Charlie Brown has lived at the Monkey Sanctuary for 11 years and is a favourite amongst the public, carers and other monkeys alike. You can adopt Charlie Brown and help us rescue more monkeys like him!
Did you know: Charlie Brown loves to eat nettles! He carefully picks them by the stem and rolls them to crush the stingers for a delicious iron-rich nutritious treat! Charlie Brown has a dislocated middle finger on his right hand from a previous cage injury. It looks rude, but we promise it’s not! Charlie Brown arrived at the Monkey Sanctuary 16 years ago on November 21st.
In his first couple of years with us Charlie Brown moved around the territory meeting other monkeys. He preferred to spend time with males and loved to play. He started spending most of his time with a trio of older females and Frosty. However these monkeys were more interested in a quieter life, grooming and foraging, rather than playing. When he made a social error they were quick to put him in his place, which was not easy for Charlie Brown, but normal for a young male in a capuchin group. He also enjoyed playing with some of the younger capuchins, heading back to the older monkeys at the end of the day.
Operating a sanctuary to care for victims of the UK primate pet trade
Why not host a vegan dinner party for Wild Futures? It’s a great way to get together with friends and family whilst raising money for the monkeys. Simply ask for a donation from your guests! We have everything you need to start organising your dinner party today, from invitations to place cards, recipe ideas and printable collection boxes; go to www.wildfutures.org/ vegan-dinner-party for more help and information. It is a good way of showing your friends why you support Wild Futures and also introducing them to vegan cuisine. The money raised will go a long way to help protect primates and habitats worldwide. How do I hold my own dinner party? Simply decide when you want to hold your dinner party, what you want on the menu and who you want to attend. Send out your invitations, buy all the ingredients you need and enjoy an evening with family and friends. For any help in organising your dinner party go to wwww. wildfutures.org/vegan-dinnerparty or email the fundraising team on fundraising@ wildfutures.org
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Your Legacy – The Gift of Life
EUROPEAN ALLIANCE OF RESCUE CENTRES AND SANCTUARIES (EARS)
CAMPAIGNS UPDATE
Conservation, Education, Welfare Wild Futures rescues and offers sanctuary to monkeys who have suffered abuse and neglect. We are dedicated to protecting primates and habitats worldwide, which are endangered due to climate change, habitat destruction, and the bushmeat and pet trade. For some species, it is too late. Your legacy to Wild Futures is the gift of life, a future for primates and our wonderful planet. We receive no government funding, so the generosity of those that remember Wild Futures is essential for us to continue our work. Your legacy can create a wild and safe future for all. Thank you for caring so that they may have a future.
Capuchin monkey Grips, victim of the UK primate pet trade on arrival (Above) and (Below) enjoying life at Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary.
If at anytime you wish to discuss leaving a legacy to Wild Futures or a gift in memory, contact us on 01503 262 532 or giving@ wildfutures.org Registered charity no. 1102532
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‘Campaign-cap-Gucci’s vete rinary examination on arrival reve aled the extent of her physiologica l problems, which are likely to have been caused by her history in the pet trade.’
Here you can clearly see Gucci’s malformed nose and mouth and missing teeth
Since our last update to you, we have been very busy with our campaign to end the UK primate pet trade. We reported that we were hopeful that the DEFRA review on the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-Human Primates, which was due to happen in 2015, would instead happen at the end of this year. We are saddened to say that as a result of the turbulent time with government in the last few months, it is most likely that it will not happen this year either. This is out of our control unfortunately, so in the meantime we have been working closely with our coalition to be proactive with our campaign. In July, we all met together in London to discuss our next moves. We made plans to raise awareness for our campaign and increase signatures on our joint petition. The RSPCA created a Thunderclap for us all to be a part of on the 1st of September, International Primate Day. A Thunderclap is a way to send one message to thousands of people, those that sign up to it will share the same message, on the same day, at the same time, thus reaching a far bigger audience. It was a huge success. The number of signatures increased by 3,000 in 48 hours as a direct result of the Thunderclap, so we’re extremely grateful to everyone that took part in that and supported our campaign! Please sign our petition. You can do this at www.protectprimates.org
We need to reach 50,000 signatures so share it with your friends and a big thank you to everyone that has signed it so far! It was good to welcome the RSPCA to the Monkey Sanctuary in August. They were gathering footage for our joint campaign video; we will keep you posted as that develops!
Wild Futures’ ambassadors are really important to us; they work hard to spread the word about our work, help to fundraise, and promote our primate welfare campaigns.
The AGM for EARS 2016 was held in Italy at Centro Tutela Fauna, Monte Adone, a rescue and rehabilitation centre for both native and exotic wildlife. As always, this was a great opportunity for all partner members to share experiences and learn from each other, as well as highlighting common issues that need tackling. Wild Futures was represented by Rachel Hevesi, our Director and EARS board member, as well as Giorgia Torre, one of our primate care team members.
Talks and workshops enabled a lot of discussion on various issues. A prerecorded talk on welfare was provided by the RSPCA, which included a workshop run by the Dutch primate and exotic animal sanctuary Stichting AAP and resulted in a plan to create EARS guidance on measuring and assessing welfare. A talk by Andrew Kitchener of the Museum of Scotland showed how post-mortem examination findings could help to improve the care for elderly captive animals.
The agenda featured an update on EARS progress, including the launch of an online rescue database which helps fulfil one of the organisational objectives: “Establish and manage a system in Europe to facilitate the most appropriate animal placement according to individual welfare and species-specific requirements.”
Lastly, there were two talks on EU Regulations, on invasive alien species and on the BALAI Directive (which regulates the import and export of animals to and from the UK), which have important implications for EARS partners. www.ears.org
Gucci was born with a cleft lip and palate, which was possibly caused by her mother being malnourished
Every year we carry out research to try to ascertain the number of primates kept as pets in the UK. The only way we can do this is by asking every local authority if they have issued a Dangerous Wild Animals Act license for a primate and, if so, for how many primates and for which species. We obtain this information by requesting data through the Freedom of Information Act. We have obtained all of the results for this year’s enquiry, and we are currently in the process of analysing them now. Once we have the results, we will use the figures to inform our campaign work. Keep your eyes peeled for future updates.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Ambassador holds an evening of entertainment!
Dedicated ambassador Leila Owens recently organised an evening of entertainment to raise us money. She found a local venue that gave a room to her for free, and she booked local talent to perform. The night was a huge success and she raised over £240 from ticket and cake sales on the night! The acts varied from a poetry reading, to a stand-up comedienne, to a ladies choir. It was a great platform for them to showcase their talent, and they all had a brilliant, enjoyable night. We asked Leila about the evening, and how she found organising it. ‘What surprised me the most about organising this event was how forthcoming people were, particularly those that I’d never met, so I would encourage any fellow supporters/ambassadors that want to look to organise something similar, to go ahead and do so. We had such an amazing evening that was thoroughly enjoyed by all!’ If you want to find out more about becoming an ambassador, please contact the fundraising team fundraising@wildfutures.org
Working to end the primate trade and abuse of primates in captivity
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Ecotricity Grief, greed, & ignorance
Did you know that you can help Wild Futures raise vital funds by just going about your day-to-day life? We have partnered with Ecotricity, a green energy company with the vision of a completely green Britain powered by renewable energy; that is green electricity from the wind, the sun and the sea and green gas from grass. What’s even better is that they will donate up to £60 to Wild Futures if you switch your energy supply to them. Ecotricity was founded in 1995 and was the first company in Britain to offer a new kind of electricity - the green kind. They take the green energy they make themselves and supply it to their customers; taking responsibility for every step of the process. Their main aim is to make people aware of unsustainable energy problems and give them the information and the ability to do something about it. You can help animals, the planet and yourself by simply switching your electricity and/or gas supply and as an added bonus, Wild Futures can receive up to £60 from Ecotricity. Call Ecotricity on 08000 302 302 or visit www. ecotricity.co.uk/wild-futures
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IT Monkey comes to Cornwall We had a surprise visit in July from a monkey with springloaded arms and an impressive ability to fly! Yes, it was IT Monkey, the Cireson mascot and adoptive friend of Amy, one of our resident capuchins.
Over the year our Mission Marmoset Appeal has raised over £30,000, thanks to you, our incredible supporters. Three words that sum up the sad trade of marmosets in the UK.
Greed fuels the trade, size, but this ignorance enables their suffering. with one marmoset Misinformation about how selling for £1000. simple marmosets are Lonely, bored, malnourished to keep encourages this Breeders and sellers and unwell; a common abuse. A small cage with support the myth situation for a pet marmoset. a bed and some toys will that marmosets are Your help is urgently needed never be an appropriate to save marmosets, the incredibly easy pets setting for a marmoset. smallest victims of the UK Limited space and primate pet trade. They are isolation causes physical and psychological in desperate need of rescuing. We need to problems, lack of sunshine and vitamin D act fast! leads to metabolic bone disease, treats These little monkeys’ stories are all too such as biscuits and chocolate can lead to common and their stories sound like this: diabetes. A wild animal surrounded only by humans, without any communication with Taken from her mother, without her twin, those of its own kind, cannot go unharmed. an infant female is sold to her owners at Owners are abusing their beloved pets around six weeks old. Bewildered and because of their ignorance. confused, her life changes in an instant. Naturally, marmosets will stay with their These scenarios are happening more and extended family until they are adults. They more often. Calls to the RSPCA concerning help with their siblings’ upbringing which the welfare of primates have risen from 44 is vital in giving them enough knowledge in 2012 to 105 in 2015. Many of these calls and capability to survive in a social group. concerned marmosets. We estimate there This little girl has been stripped of that are 5000 pet primates in the UK. Due to chance. Every baby primate removed from marmosets not requiring a licence, it is hard its parents will experience huge stress for us to know exactly how many marmosets and grief, which can lead to abnormal are in that trade. We have had an increase behaviour. As a result there is no such thing in requests to rescue these tiny creatures as a healthy pet primate. and rescue centres and sanctuaries like us are turning away marmosets because there Greed fuels the trade, with one marmoset are simply not enough facilities available. selling for £1000, breeders and sellers support the myth that marmosets are We urgently need this to change, and we incredibly easy pets, mostly because of their cannot do it without you! www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Because of your generosity, we have improved our plans. The great news is that we have been able to build our “quarantine” area on-site, so we can finally rescue our first marmosets. Our adopters, supporters and ambassadors have made it possible to offer sanctuary to victims of grief, greed and ignorance earlier than we hoped. But the quarantine area is only a shortstay home, with room for a small number of marmosets. We want to rescue more… but we cannot do it without your help! Our new target is £70,000. We already have £30,000. So we desperately need to raise £40,000 to finish our special marmoset enclosure build. Now that we are in a position to start rescuing marmosets, we are even more determined to reach our target so that we can keep rescuing the smallest victims of the primate pet trade. Work must start this winter. Together we can complete this essential project.
Your help is urgently needed to save these monkeys and ensure they have a safe home for life with us.
How your donation will help: • £500 will help pay for their vet check • £250 will buy insulation to keep a bedroom warm • £100 will help to fund a UV light • £50 will help to buy 1kg of marmoset jelly, a crucial part of their diet • £25 will buy a nest box for marmosets to sleep in Look out for news of our first marmoset rescues in the coming weeks. Sign up for enews for the latest stories from Wild Futures. www.wildfutures.org/joinour-mailing-list Thank you! We want to say a huge thank you to The Body Shop Foundation and the RSPCA for their continued support with our mission marmoset appeal.
Conserving natural habitats through education and sustainable living
Accompanying IT Monkey was Geoff Ross (and family) from Cireson. The company was founded by Brits, with their HQ in the US, and has been wonderfully supportive as a corporate adopter. It was lovely to meet Geoff and give our appreciation in person for all their amazing fundraising efforts. www.cireson.com If you would like to join our growing corporate supporter scheme, please email fundraising@wildfutures.org Thank you!
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Barbary Macaque Fact File During the winter when food is scarce they forage for bark and evergreen needles; and caterpillars and acorns become an important part of the diet in autumn and spring.
Latin Name: Macaca sylvanus Native to: North Africa Group Size: 25 - 80 individuals Lifespan: Average 22 years Diet: Leaves, fruit, bark, invertebrates Home Range: 3 - 10 Sq. km Special Characteristics: Cheek pouches for storing food, Males play an active part in infant care Barbary macaques are the only African primate found north of the Sahara. They live at high elevations in mountainous oak and cedar forests and can endure harsh winters. When Barbary macaques were first discovered in the coastal regions of North Africa, (what is now Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) the area was known as the Barbary Coast. Sadly, they are now extinct in Tunisia and Libya. They are terrestrial and arboreal, foraging both on the ground and in the trees for flowers, fruit, leaves, seeds, and invertebrates.
Barbary macaques live in groups that can range from around 25 to 80 individuals. Unlike many other primate species, the males, along with the females, participate in taking care of the young. Interestingly, the more time a male spends with the young ones, the more favourable he becomes in the eyes of females.
Wild populations of Barbary macaques have suffered serious decline in recent years and they have been declared as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are said to be fewer Barbary macaques left in the wild than there are Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutans. Their main threat is habitat loss due to intensive logging, charcoal burning, firewood collecting, and land clearance for agriculture. The illegal live trade in infant macaques from Morocco to Europe is also a serious threat to population numbers.
Communication in macaques is varied and complex. Their vocal repertoire includes screams, barks and grunts and they use diverse facial expressions and body language.
Winter Pie by Karen Burns-Booth Ingredients: • 640g of puff pastry, vegan, ready-rolled
EDUCATION UPDATE During our open season, our monkey carers spend time out with the public, giving talks about the monkeys, as well as sharing information about the other aspects of our work as a charity. This is a great way of educating people, many of whom may not have been aware of the many struggles our monkeys have faced and which others elsewhere still face every day.
It’s not unusual to see our macaques grooming each other. The reason they do this is to reduce their stress levels and also to strengthen the bonds within the group. Plus, it keeps their fur bug free!
In April, we were kindly invited to give a guest lecture to undergraduates and masters students at Plymouth University, on primate nutrition. Our education officer spoke about the huge variety of foods that primates eat in the wild, and how we can ensure that primates in captivity have a healthy and nutritious diet. The lecture was well received and we thank Plymouth University for inviting us along. Photo: Els Van Lavieren
Did you know? - While Barbary macaques are sometimes referred to as apes, they are monkeys.
Photo: Els Van Lavieren
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- Although macaques don’t seem to have a tail they actually have what’s known as a ‘vestigial’ tail. This means that over time the macaque has evolved and the tail has all but disappeared as it was no longer required.
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Back on site, over the summer, we have had group visits from Liskeard School and Community College, Hele’s School and Stoke Damerel College, as well as the Cleft Lip and Palate Society (CLAPA). CLAPA were keen to meet Gucci, one of our rescued capuchins, who also has a cleft lip and palate. Our group visits are a great way for people to learn more about our work and rescued monkeys through guided tours and workshops. They are fun, interesting, and very informative days. We have had great feedback on our site educational work, and all of us here at Wild Futures really enjoy having groups visit.
If you are interested in booking or finding out more information about group visits to The Monkey Sanctuary, then please email education@wildfutures.org; alternatively you can find out more information on our website at www.wildfutures.org/groupand-educational-visits On the 19th October we were lucky enough to be invited, for a second year in a row, to Plymouth University to hold our “Wild Futures’ Exotic Animal Trade Symposium”. We had many speakers from various organisations come along to talk about the welfare and conservation implications of the exotic pet trade.
• 400g of mixed seasonal wild mushrooms • 12 cooked chestnuts • 4 shallots, peeled and finely diced • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced • 2 tbsp of thyme leaves, fresh • 2 tbsp of Madeira, or sherry • 300g of silken tofu, cut into small cubes • Salt • Black pepper
Method: • Preheat the oven to 220°C/ gas mark 7. Line a large round baking tray • Place all the filling ingredients into a large pan and cook with the lid on over a low to medium heat until the tofu has melted and all the filling ingredients have cooked down to a thick sauce type texture. Allow to cool for 5 minutes • Cut out two large discs from the pastry and place one disc onto the lined baking sheet
Wild Futures’ Exotic Animal Trade Symposium
There was a great turnout on the day from both Plymouth University students and interested individuals. Events like this are so important in educating people about the plight that many exotic animals face as a result of the pet trade.
Promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates
• Pile the filling ingredients into the middle of the pastry disc and then sit the other pastry circle on top of the filling, crimping the edges with your forefinger and a knife • With a sharp knife make a slit on the pastry lid and then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown • Serve the pithivier pie immediately
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OVERSEAS SUPPORT
Symas the Monkey Play along with Symas in this brilliant new game as he rescues some of the world’s most endangered monkeys. For every sale of the app, 50% of the profits will go to Wild Futures. The story… Two million years ago, Symas the Monkey visited Earth in search of a safe, lush & fertile land for his monkey brothers and sisters to roam free and thrive. Present Day… Our hero returns to find his brethren on the verge of extinction, their habitats ruined by meddling humans. Our hero must now track down his monkey relatives and rescue them by conquering devious puzzles. Search Symas the Monkey and download the app from the app store today and start saving those monkeys!
A principal objective of our work at Wild Futures is to provide help to overseas projects that are working to protect primate habitats and improve primate welfare. We do this by offering advice, providing funding through grants, as well as offering a skills exchange with members of our team. Recently we were fortunate enough to be able to offer support in the way of a skills exchange, to help a sanctuary called El Fénix in Campeche, Mexico. Our site manager Tjark went to El Fénix in July for five weeks, to volunteer his time to help the sanctuary build a new enclosure for two of their male spider monkeys. Tjark was invited as his skill set is perfect for this project and it would be an opportunity to pass on his skills to the staff at the sanctuary, enabling them to repair the enclosures if and when needed, as well as helping to build these vital enclosures that were in desperate need of replacing. The initial plan was to build a separate enclosure for each monkey, however when the first enclosure was completed, it was decided that separating the two monkeys completely would have been a real shame as they had developed a great friendship. It was decided that one large enclosure with two separate sections would work better for this situation, so the smaller enclosure would be used as extra space or as a smaller holding area.
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The design for both of the enclosures was very simple and could be scaled up and down to fit any location of any size, whilst being transferable and complexly modular. A double door system was also introduced, so the outside door can be shut before the door to the enclosure is opened, making it less likely that a monkey can escape when people enter or leave the enclosure. Working in the jungle means that access to electricity can be very difficult or impossible, so enclosures often have to be built in a different place to where they will end up, as was the case here. Due to the jungle climate, wood is not a suitable material as it is affected far quicker by the humid atmosphere, which results in rot and most often termite infestation; therefore the enclosures were made of high quality steel.
Letters and comments from Adopters
Adopt a monkey for someone you love this Christmas Adopting a monkey for someone you love this Christmas is a unique and meaningful gift that is perfect for all ages and also helps primates in need. By adopting a monkey for someone you love this Christmas you would be helping us to continue our vital work here at Wild Futures. Adopters receive a special Adopters’ Pack which includes a cuddly monkey toy, a personalised certificate, a photo and story of their adopted monkey, a monkey species factsheet, biannual newsletters and discounted entrance to our Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall! Don’t forget they also receive an invitation to our annual Supporters’ Day which is being held on the 2nd June 2017. Find out more about this year’s event below.
Tjark had to design and build the enclosures at the workshop, which took about 8 days for each one. Once the frame had been transported to the area where the monkeys were, the cages took half a day to erect. The final stage was to put the mesh all around the enclosure which took around 4 days. This completed the enclosure building and Tjark’s job there. All that was left to do was for the sanctuary staff to kit out the inside of the cages to make them suitable for the monkeys and so the two males had their new home! Support like this is so important for small sanctuaries; without this type of assistance many of them would not exist. You can find out more about the overseas work we do on our website at www.wildfutures.org/ our-work/overseas-support
www.wildfutures.org | info@wildfutures.org | www.monkeysanctuary.org
Adopting a monkey couldn’t be easier; simply visit www.adoptamonkey.org and personalise your gift by choosing which monkey adoption you would like the adopter to receive! Enter their details and sit back, knowing that someone will have a great gift this Christmas and that your support really does help to make our vital work possible, plus it makes a wonderful surprise for someone you care about.
- Dear Joey, This is my first ever new 5 pound note I would like you to have it so you could go buy yourself some new tasty treats or for you to share! Hope you enjoy it, yours sincerely Layla Tucker young ambassador / Joey adopter!
- I love coming here and seeing all the monkeys have fun and get cared for since they had a bad up bringing - Erin Supporters Day 2016 On the 3rd June we held our annual Supporters’ Day at the Monkey Sanctuary. This special day gives us a chance to say a big thank you to all of our supporters, from our adopters and donors, to our ambassadors and friends, all of whom are essential to our work. We were very lucky with the weather this year, which really makes the day run a lot smoother. The sun shone, so everyone had the chance to meet their adopted monkey. We had a large number of people arrive to enjoy talks from our director Rachel about the work that has taken place at Wild Futures over the past year as well as from our monkey carers who were able to give everyone updates on all of our monkeys. Guests also enjoyed a complimentary lunch at our Treetop Café, with kind donations from Bidvest, Vegware and Essential Trading. Throughout the day, our supporters had the chance to take part in a tombola and raffle, with all the prizes donated from local shops and businesses, which without their support, would not have been possible to run! We just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who was able to attend and thank you again for making it such a special day.
Operating a sanctuary to care for victims of the UK primate pet trade
Emma Warren says: I’m so proud to adopt Donkey he’s gorgeous
Suzy Till says: Love him so much (Kodak) so glad I adopted him xxx Twitter Matt Jeziorski @MattJeziorski Pablo’s adoption at @wildfutures renewed for another year. The best monkey! Angela Humphery @angimals1 I have adopted Joey who lived opposite us in a crate 4 9 yrs - and I never knew he was there till I read his story!
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Challenge events – New Year New You
A-maze-ing!
monkey facts Monkeys have feelings just like humans (Love, Fear, Compassion and Hate)
lp Monkeys nurse and he each other when hurt
Why not set yourself a supreme challenge in 2017? Push yourself to your limits; achieve an incredible personal goal and support Wild Futures. There are lots of exciting UK events you can get involved in, which will not only be a great experience for you but will help raise vital funds for our work.
Monkeys hold hands and groom with affection Tongue twister
Maggie the messy monkey gets mad on Monday
Over the course of two days, you will trek around 26 miles/42 km and ascend to a total height of almost 9,840ft/3,000m. This is a serious and tough challenge which requires a good level of fitness, as well as plenty of grit and determination.
Yorkshire Three Peaks This exciting and rewarding challenge will have you trekking over the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks within a period of just 12 hours. These peaks form part of the Pennine range, and encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The route is extremely scenic and provides spectacular views over the Yorkshire countryside.
London to Paris Bike Ride Travel from one great European city to another. Over the course of three days, cyclists will cover an impressive 234 miles/377 km across England and France. Setting off from West London, the group will venture out to the countryside towards Portsmouth via the North and South Downs. An overnight ferry transports the riders to Caen, from where the French leg of the journey commences. Watch the beautiful French countryside and pretty hamlets roll by. And then for the final push head towards Paris and ultimately the Eiffel Tower.
Join the dots
National Three Peaks
YAWN! 14
3 Peaks Challenge takes place in the dizzy heights of Ben Nevis (4413ft/1,345m), Scafell Pike (3209ft/978m) and Snowdon (3560ft/1,085m).
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Brace yourself for a fast-paced and physically challenging adventure, as you take on the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. Considered one of Britain’s toughest outdoor challenges, the National
Register now! Sign up to take part in a UK challenge event for Wild Futures today! Find out more about the challenge events available throughout 2017 and how you can fundraise on our webpage www.wildfutures.org/waystohelp/ukchallenge-events alternatively email us on fundraising@wildfutures.org
£100 challenge If the challenge events are not your cup of tea, why not set yourself the goal of raising just £100 for Wild Futures? All donations no matter how big or small make a huge difference here to our vital work.
Running challenges Our superb supporters are always thinking of new and different ways to raise money for us! Sticking to our challenge theme, we wanted to tell you about a couple of our supporters who both completed remarkable challenges to raise funds!
Charlotte Daniels completed a 12 mile Tough Mudder course in a monkey onesie with ‘Primates not Playmates’ written across the front. Charlotte not only endured a 12 mile run, but she had to complete obstacles such as running through live electrical wires, running through fire and jumping into a muddy ice bath! She had a smile on her face (nearly) the whole way round and spoke about Wild Futures whenever she could. Well done Charlotte! Samantha Harbottle and her friend Caitlin completed a 35 mile run along the Cornish coast close to The Monkey Sanctuary itself. They completed this incredible run in 9 hours and raised over £400 for us! An absolutely wonderful achievement! We want to say a HUGE thank you to Charlotte, Sam and Caitlin, who have all completed such amazing challenges to raise money for Wild Futures. We are very lucky to have them as part of our supporter family!
You could organise something as simple as a coffee morning with your friends or a bake sale at work, quiz night or midnight walk. For more information and ideas on fundraising got to www.wildfutures.org/ waystohelp/community-fundraising
Working to end the primate trade and abuse of primates in captivity
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ✁
We want to say a huge thank you for all of the support we received from all of you throughout 2016, the year of the monkey. Your support is vital for us to continue our work here at Wild Futures. Without supporters like you we wouldn’t have been able to build our marmoset quarantine enclosure and thanks to you we will soon be able to start rescuing the smallest victims of the primate pet trade. Don’t forget to keep up to date with all the goings on at Wild Futures by signing up to our monthly monkey Enews (www.wildfutures.org/joinour-mailing-list)
Sue
We would finally like to wish you all the best for 2017 and say a sincere thank you from all of the monkeys and staff at Wild Futures.
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
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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.
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Newsletter No. 41