Forget-men-not is another blog and is particularly directed at people who have either given their monkey to Canaote Rescue and Shelter or are thinking of doing so. It aims to keep former owners informed about the progress or problems that the monkey is experiencing. We know that owning a primate is unforgettable and most former owners want to keep in touch with their child. This Forget-me-not blog aims to do just that. The link is shown below.

 

Introducing Imanol. He is a young male howler monkey He came to us on the 12^th of May 2006. He was born on the 1^st of November 2005. He is typical of the young howlers that we care for in that he is highly domesticated and has been treated in every way like a young human child. On arrival he gave us a shock because he was wearing a nappy, and this is the first time I have ever seen a Howler wearing a nappy. Normally, howlers are easy to house train because in nature they position themselves on trees that overlook streams for their toilet needs. Therefore it is not difficult for them to make the mental leap from tree above water to lavatory seat.(Photo in the gallery). He has a blanket which he loves and runs to at any sign of danger He demands, and gets 24 hour attention. At first he took all his meals from a scaled down version of a baby bottle. Now he is eating fruit and vegetables normally in addition to the bottle. He is very inquisitive and loves to explore his surroundings. Just recently we began taking him into our Botanic Garden everyday. There is a special tree that he likes because of its helta skelta appearance. That is the Meringa tree or Horse radish tree to give it its common name. Imanol plays in this tree for literally hours at a time. He is fascinated by it. As for me I take my tablet computer with me and write notes like this one for ‘Spaces’. I am loading a photo of Imanol in the Meringa tree to the gallery.

 

. I don’t know why they do it and I know there is no parallel in the wild for this behavior but all my monkeys cover themselves when there is a heavy rain storm or thunder. MonaLisa makes a dive for the nearest blanket or sheet and covers herself. Imanol does exactly the same. Sussy and Sophie have a pillow and blanket in their house and they also cover. Schatov and Emma are a little different; they go into the lower dark part of their house, which normally they do not use. It is extraordinary to see two animated blankets moving across the bed as I observed in a storm last night. I should explain that both Imanol and MonaLisa are now sharing my bed. He is still absolutely terrified of her but now tolerates her presence. She on the other hand is being incredibly patient and understanding with him and he is slowly responding to this approach. I am not sure I want this as a permanent arrangement. It remains to be seen this weekend when Toto, a 6 years old male joins us from Caracas. On past performance, MonaLisa may not be impressed, she has directed her attention to young human males, but I live in hope. (This is another crime her original kidnappers have committed against her) .Ultimately I would like to see Imanol with a female about his own age. Changes in social behavior are quite rapidly accepted. For example Schatov no longer misses his former very loving human family. He is too busy looking after Emma. In the same way Imanol has accepted he new life here.

Imanol’s garden activity has been slightly curtailed. I was hoping to be able to leave him there for short periods whilst I am working for example. But no, he is still small enough to wriggle through the wire. It takes him exactly 30 seconds to escape and follow me into my office. So basically, at the moment he is only using the garden when I am sitting with him or when Luis Angel has free time for him. We had exactly this same situation when Schatov came to us. We had to obtain very small aperture wire for the enclosure because he could easily wriggle through the larger gauge wire.  This of course will not be a permanent situation, as he is putting on weight quite rapidly. We are continuing with our visits to the Meringa tree daily and I know he loves that.

If you scan the web, you will find that many churches now are holding blessing services for pets. The usual date for this is the Sunday nearest the fourth of October, which is St. Francis of Assisi’s day.  Some sites on the web give a complete liturgy and order of service for the blessing. One site describes the progress to the altar, of horses and dogs, parrots and pigs and well why not, monkeys. This is of course controversial. Are we just blessing as we would bless the corn, or the harvest? Or are we going much further than that and saying that we recognize that animals have an immortal soul and that one day we will be together again in another place? I have read the work of some very learned theologians that define what is meant by a soul. They argue that the bible makes it clear that God created man in his own image and therefore he has an immortal soul. I am of course making the point very briefly. They argue from this that animals cannot have a soul because they were not created in the likeness of God. I consider this to be a very spacious argument.  Well of course a couple of points arise. One is that I don’t find anywhere in the scriptures where it tells us that you must be created in the likeness of God to have a soul. The argument becomes even more tenuous when you realize that we, the human race are descended from Monkeys. Now there is no doubt about that one. If we have an immortal soul we inherited from our beloved friend the Ape. I say go with confidence to a service of blessing for our pets, monkeys in particular. In the sure knowledge that we will meet again in the kingdom of the hereafter.

I love the reasoning in the Fitzgerald translation of the Omar Khayyam Paragraphs 61 and 62. Where it says and I quote:

 

There said another, surely not in vain

My substance from the common earth was ta’en

That he who subtly wrought me into shape

Should stamp me back to common earth again.

 

Another said, why ne’er a peevish boy

Would break the bowl from which he’d drank in joy

Shall he that made the vessel in pure love

And fansy, in an after rage destroy?

 

Wonderful and profound those lines.

This huge snake around eight feet long was discovered in our 'green house' among the Adeniums yesterday.  It is known locally as a 'Tigre'  or Tiger Snake.  It is supposedly highly dangerous. Gardening in the tropics is rarely without incident! But hardly ever with a bad outcome. I would be interested in identifying the scientific name of this snake if anyone can tell us.

 

 

Thank you for your help. We received the sum of 1.83 $US. This enabled us to construct a location three inches by three inches. We are now looking around for a suitable resident.

Yesterday just after 7 am I was photographing some Adeniums when I
spotted this butterfly on 'Purple Moon'  (not 'Super Purple Moon') and
I was lucky enough to get a few shots of it before it flew off.  You
can clearly see its proboscis down the throat of the flower and
possibly pollinating it.

Can anybody identify this butterfly (or is it a moth)?  I have checked
in T. Ramond's Venezuelan Butterflies and Smart's Illustrated
Encyclopedia of the Butterfly World but cannot find it.

 

David Joint curator 

Ten years ago I founded the Canaote Rescue and Shelter Facility for monkeys. You know there is a shocking trade in endangered monkeys. Here the police are very vigorous in confiscating the animals but they need professional veterinary care and reeducating before they can be released again into the wild. Some of them are too badly damaged mentally or physically to be released and have to be kept in shelter perhaps permanently. The facility has become well known and every week we are asked to take more animals. The work here has got beyond my ability to either finance or manage it alone. I have had to employ staff to assist in the cleaning and feeding. Fortunately we are nearly self-supporting for their food. The Botanic Garden has many fruit trees that supply an abundance of good food. We have some five hundred hectares of land here so we are not short of space to expand the facility. We are also on the very edge of deep forest, very suitable for the release of primates. All we are really missing is the cash to do the work. New cages need metal polls and wire that is expensive. This is a very worthwhile work. With the damage that we as a human race are doing to the environment and the habitat of these little people, we owe it to them to make some effort at repair.

I am probably one of the worlds most incompetent fund raisers. I know that you on the other hand are good at it.  If you have time, would you ask around amongst old friends maybe there are people who care enough to make a donation to our Facility?

These are the major points:-

Minimum we need funds for immediate construction of more animal locations, Work costing approximately US$20 000.

 

But this site has the potential for much larger development. Now we are talking about big money.

It could be developed into a profitable business.

(!). The combined interest of the Botanic Garden and the Animal rescue center as well as the proximity to fairly deep forest is all that is needed for a larger tourist attraction. 

(2). The construction of says ten small but good quality cottages, with a restaurant facility nearby.

(3). The layout of a safe but interesting nature walk suitable for the both the athletic and the elderly.

(4). The provision of a small bus to transfer people to and from Valencia Airport.

 

Mail me for details of how to donate

canaote@yahoo.co.uk

This is a brief posting is to explain a new photograph of Sussy that I have added this morning. Sussy you will remember is a sixteen year old Howler female.  She co habits with Marco who is a  two year old male. The young Marco is very boisterous and can be a nuisance to Sussy. For example he often spills the milk at meal times before Sussy has been able to drink her share. To deal with this situation, I have developed a routine. At feeding times we initially exclude Marco from the feeding area.  We have installed a small gate between the table and the main location. So each morning  I am able to hand feed her. She loves this and responds by sitting on my lap and licking my hands. This in itself is unusual. Howlers are not well known for showing gratitude. I have discovered that this routine is not only beneficial to Sussy but also an incredibly relaxing way of starting my day. I now look forward to my early morning conversations with this gracious lady. Please don’t phone or visit me between seven and eight , because I am otherwise engaged.