Orphaned Babies
Many baby monkeys are orphaned each year when their mothers are shot or run over by cars or attacked by dogs/people. Rearing them is full of pitfalls, as a humanized monkey is the very last thing you need if it is ever to go free. Yes it can go free but it takes a long time before it is ready to join the wild troop, admittedly it is far easier if you have a training troop to asset you but it is imperative that they get to know the infant right from the start, the younger the better for the infant to be introduced, it is extremely difficult to get them to accept an infant that already has its grey coat, the older the youngster the more difficult it is. You may think you are caring for its needs by keeping it longer than necessary, wrong all you are doing is causing it pain and heartache, it will be bitten and could even be killed if proper care is not taken when introducing it to a troop, even older youngsters can be a problem they like their human counterparts often bully a newcomer.
Limit human dependence as soon as you can and install a natural fear in the infants of dogs to ensure they do not approach dogs or humans as friends when they are released. Do not bathe them it removes essential body oils affects their ability to manufacture vitamin D if necessary wipe them clean with damp cloth.
When weaning is possible wean on to food they will find in the wild, natural foods will include bananas, paw paw, mango, guava, insect, lizards, eggs, grasses ,roots, flowers, corn, nuts and seeds they should have seed and corn sprinkled on the floor of their cage to teach them to forage, protein is vital to their diet and should account for 25% of their diet.
Once weaned you have to teach them to fear their biggest enemy MAN. If you have monkeys in an enclosure ready for release into a troop do not allow visitors or feeding by hand by anyone, monkeys should be encouraged to retain their fear of strangers both animal and humans, if you raise monkeys to trust any humans you may as well put a bullet in their heads yourselves.You have a duty to see that no harm befalls them from misplaced trust.
Never try to release a group of infants and juveniles with no protective adults – they will not survive.
In conclusion it can be appreciated that very few, if any, monkeys are beyond rehabilitation, it is a question of patience, territory and a considerable reliance on the personality and character of the individual animal none should be treated as lost causes until everything possible has been done.
Monkeys should be free with their companions, their own kind in their own domain, all they ask for is a full stomach, to play and enjoy their own families, The old adage “If you love something, set it free” has never been more applicable.
