Monkey Sanctuary Trust is a unique environmental charity dedicated to:
- Woolly monkey welfare, including the welfare, conservation and survival of primates, particularly woolly monkeys and capuchin monkeys.
- Capuchin monkey welfare, including Working to end the primate and monkey trade and abuse of primates and monkeys in captivity.
- Conserving natural habitats of woolly and capuchin monkeys through education and sustainable living.
- monkey rescue, including promoting the rehabilitation of rescued woolly and capuchin monkeys and primates to natural habitats.
Woolly Monkey - what is it?
The woolly monkey (lagothrix lagothricha) is one of the largest and most beautiful of the South American primates. They live in the middle and upper Amazon basin to the west of the rivers Negro and Tapajos. There are four recognised sub-species of woolly monkey. These are mountain or long-haired woolly monkey (lagothrix lagothricha lugens), the brown woolly monkey (lagothrix lagothricha poepiggii), the grey woolly monkey (lagothrix lagothricha cana) and the brown-headed woolly monkey (lagothrix lagothricha lagothricha).
Woolly monkeys are arboreal (meaning tree-dwelling), spending most of their time high in the canopy of the trees and rarely venturing to the forest floor.
Woolly monkeys have evolved in a way which enables them to exploit this tree-top niche, to travel easily along narrow limbs, to reach nuts, seedpods and fruits at the end of branches, to leap between gaps safely and even to sleep securely 150 feet above the ground.
Capuchin Monkey - what is it?
Capuchins were named after capuchin monks because the dark fur that forms a cap on their heads and extends down in 'side-burns' resembles the cowl or headdress of the capuchin priests.
Capuchin monkeys are one of the most intelligent and adaptable of all South American primates. The first capuchins (Cebus species) appeared 16.3 million years ago in South America and, like all monkeys capuchin monkeys share about 97% of their DNA with humans. All capuchin species are neotropical, in other words capuchin monkeys are mainly found in northern and central South America. Within this range only the howler monkey is as widespread, and the black-capped capuchin or tufted capuchin has the widest distribution of any new world monkey, as capuchin monkeys are found in every South American country except Uruguay and Chile.
Monkey Sanctuary Trust is based at The Monkey Sanctuary in Looe, Cornwall, UK. The Monkey Sanctuary is home to a social colony of Woolly monkeys and a group of rescued ex-pet Capuchin monkeys. The Trust provides advice and support for primate, woolly and capuchin monkey rescue centres and sanctuaries around the world.
Each year the Monkey Sanctuary Trust educates thousands of visitors on monkey life in the wild and in captivity, on the ethics and problems of captivity for woolly monkeys, about ideas for rehabilitation as well as other animal welfare and conservation issues for woolly and capuchin monkeys.
Monkey Sanctuary Trust Home page
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Bolivia first country in the world to ban wild and domestic animals from
travelling circuses
Source: Animal Defenders International
Animal Defenders International (ADI) is delighted that Bolivia's
President Evo Morales has signed a new law to end the use of wild and
domestic animals in travelling circuses.
After a successful passage through the Congress, the Bill passed the
final hurdle, awaiting the President's signature, and the new Act is
expected to be published in the following weeks.
The law, tabled by Congresswoman Ximena Flores of Potosi, arose as a
result of evidence gathered during a disturbing undercover investigation
by ADI that included: lions confined in a tiny cage on the back of a
truck (two were pregnant but continued to perform); a mandrill confined
in a tiny cage; three brown bears kept in tiny compartments measuring
just 2.5x3m, inside a cage on the back of a truck - their only exercise
was the walk to and from the ring for their short performance. Lack of
safety barriers were noted, as the animals were made to dance, play dead
and ride a bicycle. The findings of the investigation were presented to
the Congress together with ADI's report on the scientific evidence of
suffering of animals in travelling circuses, 'The Science on Suffering'.
The new law bans the use of wild and domestic animals in circuses in the
Bolivia, as their conditions and confinement it is considered an act of
cruelty. The circuses will be allowed one year to adapt their shows to
a humans-only programme and during this time, the government will issue
regulations on confiscation and pecuniary sanctions for any breaches of
the law.
This is the first national law to ban the use of both domestic and wild
animals in circuses. So far, similar bans on animal use in travelling
circuses in Costa Rica, Sweden, Finland and Denmark only prohibit the
use of wild animals or certain species.
In recognition of President Morales' stand on the issue and his
government's prompt action, ADI has presented the Bolivian government
with the Toto Award on animal protection and conservation.
ADI Chief Executive Jan Creamer, "This is a truly historic day for
circus animals. The undercover investigations, the scientific research
and the hard work of our supporters in Bolivia has made a difference for
animals that will reach around the world. Bolivia is the first country
to ban animal circuses in South America and the first worldwide to ban
both domestic and wild animals in circuses. We applaud the President Evo
Morales for setting the highest standard for animal protection for South
America, which the rest of the world now needs to follow. We also salute
the efforts of Congresswoman Flores and all the local organizations and
who along with ADI worked tirelessly to ensure that the bill became a
law."
