playful orchestra music
Amy Kerwin
Rhesus monkeys, they're overlooked so often. They can live to be 35, 40 years old. They're just very smart in living in their large troops. And they're one of the most popular monkeys in research, in drug development testing, and toxicity testing. And so, you know, knowing that, I like to say, "At Primates Incorporated, the least we can do is give back to them whenever possible." I'm Amy Kerwin, founder of Primates Incorporated, the non-profit monkey sanctuary. We're home to nine monkeys here at the sanctuary. Five are retired from the pet trade, and four from laboratories.
monkeys calling
Amy Kerwin
We're providing a dignified and spacious environment to these monkeys. Often, they're resold to more studies, or I have heard of cases where they would be put down. And so, I'd like to see less and less of that as more sanctuary space is available.
perches clattering
Amber Zorn
I mean, she has shown that it's possible to build a sanctuary in Wisconsin that's for monkeys, which has never been done. And it's the only one like it in this whole country. I am the primate caregiver here. Giving them enrichment, cleaning, of course, and just doing everything to make sure that their day-to-day life is as great as it can be.
mellow, playful instrumental music
Amy Kerwin
And so, the act of retiring them, yes, means researching how they live in the wild. To get to know the primates as part of their own species versus how they compare to us.
Amber Zorn
So, inside of the toilet paper roll are raisins. This way, it's kind of a natural way that they would be able to do it in the wild to get food, bugs, or anything like that that they'd be looking for in the wild.
Amy Kerwin
So, Izzle is a very dominant monkey, but he was shown grooming himself, lip-smacking at other monkeys, loving his mirrors and enrichment, foraging in the pool and through the straw. And so, just to see this monkey feeling out his environment after he was retired here at age 14. He was once labeled as "aggressive" in the lab, and singly-housed. To show that he now has a partner is a true sign of rehabilitation.
Amber Zorn
He's done a complete 180 since coming from the lab, which is amazing to see.
Amy Kerwin
Each of them has their own individual personality. So, I guess I could say I love them all equally.
rolls barrel into gate
Amber Zorn tries to suppress laughter
Amber Zorn
And sometimes, it's not that graceful.
monkey wobble calling
Amy Kerwin
You know, there were a lot of naysayers. It's like, "Why even try helping them?" And it's like, "Well, they're wild animals." They deserve dignity and respect. But I always look at that as, I knew the need existed, and I knew that not just myself could be the one to solve the problem, and that there's other caring individuals.
gentle music
Amy Kerwin
But there's a need to establish a sanctuary in every state so that no monkey ever gets turned away again.
gentle music
Amy Kerwin
Because they're so similar to us. And just knowing how each and every one of them are, I'd like to see them all be retired.
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