Monkey business at local pub
Do you have an exotic pet? Read why a primatologist says monkeys should be off limits.
Two marmoset monkeys walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a joke with a corny punchline, right? Keeping exotic monkeys as pets is no joke, says primatologist Wayne MacLeod.
This is why the World Primate Sanctuary (WPS) in Esther Park, of which MacLeod is the founder, took hands with Prime Time Sports Bar in Birchleigh on Saturday morning to raise money and awareness for the about 70 monkeys the sanctuary takes care of.
Entry fees were R50 a person and people also donated canned goods and cereals the monkeys can eat. After the event kicked off at Prime Time, young and old, and even a dog or two, walked the 11km stretch between other local bars.
The organiser of the event, Tim Ronaldson, estimated and hoped that about 60 people would join the fun. As the sanctuary is a non-profitable organisation, charity events such as this one are important to them.
“We rely solely on the goodness of other people’s hearts,” MacLeod told Express, adding that the organisation spends R24 000 a month on food alone for the monkeys.
These beautiful primates include marmoset monkeys, squirrel monkeys, tamarin monkeys and capuchins.
How the sanctuary receives these animals, however, is not always a pretty picture. “Some have been abused or neglected and often owners do not realise how much care they need,” MacLeod said.
This primatologist, who studied these monkeys in South America where they originated from, added that these exotic animals were not meant to be pets. “Nine out of ten times they’ll attack you. They are cute as babies but need to grow up with other monkeys. Their nutrition and well-being will also be compromised if they are kept as pets. You cannot do that to them.”
What if children really want one?
“Absolutely not. Don’t even go there.” He especially warned against the rise in getting capuchin monkeys as pets. “They are so human-like, and people see it as getting a baby. But when they get sexually mature they will become aggressive.”
People who already have exotic monkeys as pets are welcome to take the monkey to the WPS, where they will be free to live in a somewhat natural habitat with their own kind. “People can still visit their monkey and donate towards its care,” MacLeod added.
After MacLeod’s chat with Express, his colleague arrived with little marmoset monkeys Sam and Squishy, whose owners couldn’t take care of them anymore. Children and adults alike drummed around the small creatures to take pictures, proving how easy it is to fall for their cuteness. As MacLeod emphasised, however, they are not pets.
For more information or for small educational tours of the WPS, phone Wayne MacLeod on 084 597 4044 or send an email to monkeymacleod@imaginet.co.za
