Eight new monkeys have made Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary their new and permanent home, joining 169 other monkey residents.
As a result of these new residents, the sanctuary officially launched a new project initiative called “Out of the Dark and into the Light". This project began after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized dozens of primates, the eight new residents included, in one of the largest illegal breeding investigations tied to the dark web.
“Out of the Dark and into the Light” is designed to rescue animals from abusive or illegal situations and provide them with rehabilitation and care.
Michael Needham, who is the sanctuary manager of Jungle Friends, oversees daily animal care and habitat operations. He said the sanctuary prioritizes giving the monkeys a life that feels natural.
“We really believe in monkeys living as wild as possible,” Needham said. “We pair them with other monkeys for 30 to 40 years and that really helps them heal from trauma.”
Founder Kari Bagnall said the rescued animals arrived in May and their stories were hard to hear.
“These animals came to us from extremely difficult circumstances,” Bagnall said. “We rescued them in May, and it's been a long time keeping it quiet.”
The eight monkeys went through severe neglect before arriving at Jungle Friends.
“When I asked what they were breeding them for, my USDA inspector told me "you don’t want to know”, Bagnall said. “And I told them, “I don't want to know. Let’s just get them to safety.”
The man accused is set to head to trial Jan. 21 in Tampa and is facing federal charges for conspiring to illegally sell and transport marmosets in violation to the Lacy Act, considered a wildlife trafficking law.
“There were probably close to a hundred animals at the property,” Bagnall said.
Jungle Friends offered to take in 14 monkeys, but not all of them survived. The eight who lived are named Emily, Lyn, Beth, Paul, Patty Cake, Calla, Stephanie and Elsa.
Emily, a spider monkey, was severely underweight. Paul, an elderly capuchin, spent years isolated and alone. Lyn and Beth, two adolescent capuchins, were fearful of human contact. The marmosets, Patty Cake and Calla, suffered from years of improper care. Stephanie and Elsa were malnourished tamarins.
Bagnall said the sanctuary simulates natural environments within its enclosures as much as possible.
“None of the monkeys at Jungle Friends ever lived freely in the wild,” she said. “Some were born in the wild but captured as youngsters and sold into research while others came from the exotic pet trade or were confiscated from unsafe conditions.”
Bagnall emphasized that these new eight monkeys suffered the most after being kept in tiny, dilapidated cages natural habitat.
“Now they live in spacious habitats up to 15 feet tall filled with trees and bushes and enrichment so they can finally climb and enjoy species specific behaviors,” Bagnall said. “They are safe, happy and thriving.”
Patrick Hernandez, who has worked at Jungle Friends for seven months, recalled his first week on the job where he rode along with rescue officers to help seize the primates.
“We actually went on a rescue mission the very first week I was here,” Hernandez said. “We ended up taking over 20 marmosets and tamarins, eight otters, eight lemurs, three capuchins, and some wallabies and kangaroos.”
In order to ensure that the new resident monkeys receive proper care, Bagnall hired additional staff.
“We now have 18 care staff and they are all getting individual care,” Bagnall said. “They all have large, spacious almost wild habitats and indoor bedrooms.”
Most of the monkeys had lost companions prior to arriving, but are being socialized with other monkeys.
“Emily, our spider monkey, is still adjusting but the others have begun forming new friendships,” Bagnall said.
Funding is critical for sustaining the initiative at Jungle Friends especially considering they are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Thanks to a grant from A Kinder World Foundation, Jungle Friends received a gift to cover one year of care for the monkeys.
“The average cost of care is $3,500 per monkey per year that totals the $28,000 annually for the group,” Bagnall said.
The grant includes nutritious food, veterinary care, enrichment toys and furnishings and the cleanliness of their natural habitats.
“The grant allowed us to rescue them immediately and give us critical time to plan for their long term care,” Bagnall said.
Now the sanctuary continues to seek additional funding for future years.
“For our Giving Tuesday campaign on Dec. 2, our goal is to raise another $28,000 for the next year,” she said. “We are hoping to find an organization, corporation or individual who will do a matching fund for us but we haven't found one yet.”
She explained how securing funding has become especially challenging due to the current state of the economy and the nationwide decline in charitable giving.
“Despite these difficulties, we remain committed to ensuring the safety, health, and wellbeing of every monkey in our care,” Bagnall said.
Adapting monkeys that aren’t native to Florida’s environment can also be difficult. Udi, a 23 year old bowlegged Peruvian spider monkey, arrived from New York City with severe metabolic bone disease.
“He never saw sunshine until he came here,” Needham said. “Some sunshine and some vitamins and he’s totally normal today.”