On June 23, 2021, a couple from Indiana was charged with animal cruelty violations after leaving two baby marmosets inside a sweltering vehicle. One of the marmosets named KeeKee, just 9 weeks old, died. The police found the other, only 5 weeks old, suffering from severe dehydration and psychological distress.
The couple left their pet marmosets in a vehicle at the Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville, Tennessee. Police responded when a waterpark employee reported the incident. According to the ASPCA, on a day like June 23, which topped an ambient temperature of 87 degrees, the interior temperature of a vehicle can reach 120 degrees within just a half an hour. Although we do not know exactly how long the marmosets endured the soaring temperatures inside, we do know that they were not discovered until 4:30 PM that day.
While the couple was reportedly in Tennessee at the time but originally from Indiana, it is unclear in which of the two states they reside. As the private primate ownership laws vary across the United States, the individual state legislation dictating the legality of their primate ownership remains ambiguous. Regardless, owning pet marmosets in both states is currently legal. Tennessee partially bans privately owning some species, including gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, gibbons, siamangs, mandrills, drills, baboons, and geladas, whereas Indiana has no permit or licensing requirements pertaining to primates at all.
Wild animals kept as pets suffer immensely simply by being kept in such unnatural situations, and some are subjected to explicit acts of negligence and cruelty. Unfortunately, senseless deaths of exotic pets are not uncommon. Buck, a pet chimpanzee, was recently shot dead when he escaped his enclosure and relentlessly attacked the owner’s daughter in Oregon. While the reasons for these deaths range from outright neglect to gross underestimation of a wild animal’s strength and ever-present aggressive instincts, the dire result is unfortunately always the same: wild animals perishing without ever having experienced the environment in which they specifically evolved to occupy.
The age of these marmosets, both just several weeks old, is especially concerning. Marmosets spend no less than three months completely dependent on their mothers in the wild. Too many pet owners fail to understand the psychological damage infant primates experience when separated from their mothers at such a young age.
Studies have indicated that early parental separation often precipitates increased chronic stress levels, which lower overall immune system functionality and enable poor mental welfare. Marmosets typically live in family groups consisting of three to 15 members. They are an arboreal species that spends most time in the canopy level and require a high degree of environmental complexity, especially regarding their diet, which consists of primarily plant exudates (e.g. tree gums) and insects.
Captive marmosets at zoos and sanctuaries often experience a fatal condition termed Marmoset Wasting Syndrome, which causes general weakness and an inability to thrive. Although the specific cause of this disease remains unknown, many postulate that the apparent chronically high stress levels and failure to meet species-specific nutrient needs in captivity are to blame.
Without effectively banning the ownership of these animals nationwide, the same patterns will continue and these heartbreaking news stories will persist. The Captive Primate Safety Act will significantly reduce these opportunities for rampant animal cruelty and the associated futile wildlife losses by banning private ownership across the entire country and restricting public interactions. This act will literally save lives. Please speak out in support of this important bill!
Take Action on the Captive Primate Safety Act
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Devan
