Primarily Primates Newsletter
March/April 2008
What’s New at Primarily Primates
Updates from Priscilla Feral and Stephen Rene Tello,
Veterinary Updates
Primarily Primates is virtually unique in the sanctuary world: We have an outstanding veterinarian, Valerie Kirk, right on site to provide immediate care for the animals. Many of our sanctuary residents are elderly, and a large number come from a medical research and testing background. Dr. Kirk is ever alert for subtle signs that an animal may be developing health issues, while keeping up a full workload of routine exams, vasectomies, and sometimes major surgery. Recently Dr. Kirk vasectomized more than a dozen tamarins. They were part of a group of 130 tamarins and marmosets, all placed at Primarily Primates by a university researcher who used them in a colon cancer study before he lost funding.
Cotton-top tamarins were listed as endangered in 1973, and at that time the university group (whose members were snatched from their habitat) was equivalent to about 10 percent of the world's free-living population. Today, less than 450 cotton-top tamarins probably remain in their native Columbia.
Yet the university was able to place only a few tamarins at zoos, and planned to kill all remaining individuals. Primarily Primates stepped in to accept the entire group in 1997.
Normally weighing less than 2 pounds, these monkeys are fragile and cannot tolerate temperature extremes. Our tamarin building is kept at a constant 80ºF all year long.
But the building that houses tamarin and marmoset monkeys was hastily constructed due to the urgency of the time. We're now making plans to build a new one from the ground up. If you can help with this major project, let us know. Dr. Kirk also completed a full examination of Raisin, an adult female chimpanzee who was living with four other chimpanzees formerly used in Air Force studies. With Dr. Kirk's careful oversight, Raisin was recently paired with Oliver, a chimpanzee formerly exploited because he had human like features. Known as the “Humanzee” or “Missing Link,” Oliver, who is elderly and blind, needed a companion who is gentle, kind and understanding, and Raisin is a perfect match. The two have become very fond of each other and Oliver is again acting like a normal chimpanzee; vocalizing, and trying out physical displays to impress his new companion.
Marion, a very sweet chimpanzee, developed a cough, which persisted. She was taken by Dr. Kirk to an x-ray clinic. Dr. Kirk and Dr. Stacey Randall, a specialist in internal medicine, is shown here examining Marion. Marion was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is being treated to clear her lungs.
New Night Sleeping Areas for the Monkeys
Primarily Primates plans to build 40 new night sleeping areas for our monkeys, 10 of which will be started this month. Each new sleeping area will cost approximately $5,000 to build; materials needed include lumber, heating pads, space heaters, roofing tiles, insulation, new electrical service, lights and switches. The completed sleeping areas will be twice the height and length of the current nighttime areas. Sponsors are needed to help us complete this major project.
New Squirrel Monkey Habitat
The new squirrel monkey living area is a major transformation. A project that began last summer, the squirrel monkey enclosure was torn down and completely rebuilt. The new enclosure included 15 more feet of space, greater height, plus ponds, trees, shrubs, grapevines and other climbing structures.
Lone Star Arrell, a Much-Loved Lion
Arrell, our 20 year-
old African lion,
was purchased as a
cub by a circus.
His canine teeth
and claws were
removed for handling purposes.
Arrell remained in
private hands until
1993 when he was given to another Texas sanctuary.
When the sanctuary closed in 2003, Arrell was placed atPrimarily Primates.
Here Arrell is seen in his large natural habitat.
Unfortunately, Arrell is aggressive with other lions and
must be housed alone. Arrell loves to play hide and seek
with our attentive staff. He is elderly and arthritic, but
doing very well, with Dr. Kirk's care.
Plans to Renovate the Serval Habitat
Mickey was placed in a small pet carrier and left in the middle of the night at a sanctuary in Arizona. The director found the frightened serval the next morning. Because that sanctuary houses only animals native to Arizona, Mickey was moved to Primarily Primates in 2003.
One of our goals for 2008 is to complete a new natural habitat for our five African servals. Two of the cats came to Primarily Primates when the USDA closed down a breeder's compound. Mickey, Majicca and Riya were all ex-pets who were surrendered or abandoned when they became too difficult to keep in a home environment.
New Emu Habitat
Primarily Primates recently completed a new naturalistic habitat for our two emus, Lizzie and Marilyn. In the early 1980s, Primarily Primates received a call from a local farmer who had acquired a few emus on a whim (soon to find that a pack of wild dogs would kill one of them). Today, thanks to help from the Eagle Scouts of San Antonio, the emus' new, large habitat was recently built under large oak trees. The habitat is twice the size of their former enclosure, and more private.
A lot has been accomplished already this year at Primarily Primates. With your help we can continue proving a safe, handsome, and comforting place for all of our residents to live.
Give to Primarily Primates' Annual Fund, and Invest …
In the Future for Rescued Animals
As a donor to Primarily Primates, you are part of a vital team of lifesavers. Your investment, combined with those of the entire team, make it possible to multiply the good you do. That's because we are putting your investment to work through construction, by advocating for the animals to whom we've made a commitment, and by working to let the media know how important it is that animals such as primates are not bought and sold and put into positions of need in the first place.
Those who do need rescue and arrive at our door will have care for the rest of their lives.
I need your help now, to set the pace for the year ahead - a most important year. We have a new board, a doctor on the premises on a regular basis, wonderful new ideas in place to keep the animals' minds and bodies alert and active, and a great deal of new construction.
I'm thrilled about it. I intend to do these improvements justice.
But please be as generous as you can. And know this: Every single dollar makes a difference.
Many Ways to Help:
Become a Sanctuary Partner: It takes regular support to provide monthly produce, treats, nutritional supplements, veterinary medical care, maintenance for the living spaces, and a large animal care staff. You can help by becoming a special Sanctuary Partner. By pledging a monthly gift, you can provide constant sponsorship for the animals in one of our animal communities, from chimpanzees to birds! As a Sanctuary Partner, you'll receive a videodisk of the animal community you've chosen to support. See the inside flap of the enclosed donation envelope for details.
Sponsor Project Cargo Net or Project Hammock: One of our newest projects for 2008 is Project Cargo Net. Once installed inside our habitats for small primates, the nets will inspire hours of fun and climbing exercise for all of our primates. An amazing sight we have captured on film is the entire lemur colony sitting together on their cargo net. Used cargo nets are often found at shipping piers and trucking docks, and we'll recycle them proudly. Shipping costs for donated nets run around $50. Another task planned for 2008 is Project Hammock. Our goal is to install 57 outdoor resting hammocks for our chimpanzees, using donated used fire hoses. When interwoven and secured around a rectangular steel frame, they're transformed into nest-like hammocks. Fire Cargo net in lemur enclosure hose is durable and apes love to relax on their hammocks during the day. The frame and construction runs about $200 per hammock.
We'd love it if you could sponsor one of our cargo nets or hammocks - and so would the nonhuman primates! Enclose a note inside your donation envelope to let us know your gift is for one of these projects.
Support the Peanut Gallery! Monkeys and Birds Love Nuts: To give a gift our animals really love, send bags or boxes of
unshelled and unsalted peanuts to Primarily Primates. We use 50 pounds of peanuts every week! Monkeys love them; so do
peacocks and cranes. For shipping purposes, our street address is 26099 Dull Knife Trail, San Antonio, TX 78255.
Imagine…Keeping Us Going With Fruit and Vegetables: Grocery bills are going up all over, but here at Primarily Primates,
ours hit $700 each week just for produce. Vegetables and fruits are necessary for the good
health of many of our animals, and are consumed with a great deal of excitement.
Keep Our Scouts Busy: Plant a Tree: Fruit and nut trees, along with flowering bushes, all
enhance the sanctuary's beauty, offer cool, green summer shading, and provide fresh, whole
snacks for the animals. Most trees can be bought and planted for about $50. Local Girl
Scout troops assist us with tree planting projects. If you can help, send your gift with a note
that it is to help plant a tree. We'll put a photo of your tree on our website, www.primarilyprimates.org.
Online Donations Give Us a Boost Any Time: For your convenience, you can always
make an online gift to Primarily Primates by going to our web site, www.primarilyprimates.org. And while you are there, take a look at some of the wonderful videos of the
animals in whose future you're investing.
Every day of the year, I'm grateful to you. Thank you for being part of our team.
Sincerely,
Stephen Rene Tello
Executive Director
Primarily Primates, Inc. March/April 2008