Grand design to help eMdloti monkeys
Carol Booth of Monkey Helpline said the funds raised would help to pay off their vet bill.
WHEN a troop of eMdloti monkeys were poisoned the community banded together to help and graphic designer, Chris Van Wyk who lives over 600km away in Pretoria decided to do what he could to pitch in.
Van Wyk’s plan was simple – he created car licence disk stickers to sell to raise funds. The stickers read: ‘I heart 568 Monkeys.’
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“I designed the stickers after hearing of the poison saga. Being a regular visitor to eMdloti, for the last 10 years, I have grown very fond of the place. This includes the natural beauty which include the furry residents. So it was a simple case of doing what I can to help,” he said.
Van Wyk said the stickers would be sold for R15 each.
“I’ve done a limited run of the monkey stickers and will print more depending on how well they sell,” he said.
“The response has been very positive so far. I posted the photo of the stickers on Facebook and have been overwhelmed by the positive response so far,” he added.
Using his design skills was the best way Van Wyk could think to help.
“I need to point out that I printed the stickers at my own cost, without receiving a cent and do not expect nor accept anything in return,” he said.
Carol Booth of Monkey Helpline said the funds would help to pay off their vet bill.
“We run a tab at the vet and we always have a vet bill. The funds will go toward our vet bills and the care of monkeys, not just those that were poisoned, but all the monkeys we help. We rescue four to 10 monkeys everyday,” she said.
According to Kerry Easson, who treated the poisoned monkeys alongside her colleague, Elsa Van Biljon, injured monkeys are brought in on a regular basis.
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“The monkeys are always running the gauntlet in suburbia, getting through homes, bitten by dogs, hit by cars, shot with pellet guns. About 70 per cent that we x-ray have pellets in them. I think people have got to learn to be tolerant. Its strange that so many people can live in peace with the monkeys and then some can’t. We are lucky to have some wildlife in our area and people need to accept that,” she said.
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