The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary is home to around 230 monkeys, many rescued from the pet trade, laboratories, and the zoo industry. Our residents belong to at least nine different species, with some being hybrids of two or more due to being used for breeding in unscrupulous facilities.
Below we introduce you to some fun facts about some of the species we care for, all of them commonly kept in the cruel primate pet trade. Click “Expand” beneath each species to read more!
Julian, a Japanese macaque. Photo: Born Free USA.
Japanese Macaques
These fluffy, pink-faced monkeys are native to the islands of Japan. The troop we care for are the descendants of a troop that was brought over from Japan to save them from being killed due to human-wildlife conflict. We took over the site in 2008 and turned it into the accredited sanctuary that we are proud of today.
While many species of money and ape avoid water, many macaque species – including Japanese macaques – love to get wet. They will choose to swim, bathe, and play in the ponds and pools we provide for them around the site.
Their faces change color depending on circumstances. During mating season, their already pink faces turn a bright red. In females, this was historically thought to be a signal of fertility, but more recent studies suggest that it may be more closely linked to social standing. Those with high social standing have darker or brighter faces than those lower down the pecking order. If they are ill, their face color might appear pale, like humans, or a very dark purple color. These visual signals are important both for the monkeys themselves and our team so that we can monitor their health.
Freeman, a long-tailed macaque. Photo: Born Free USA.
Long-tailed Macaques
As the name suggests, these monkeys sport beautiful long tails, unlike other macaque species who generally have short tails. This is likely because long-tailed macaques are the most arboreal of macaques – this means they naturally spend more of their time in trees. Their long tails help them balance as they leap from branch to branch.
Also known as crab-eating macaques, monkeys belonging to this species spend a lot of time in and around water and are excellent swimmers. They have been observed fishing with their hands and will drop out of trees into water to avoid predators.
Long-tailed macaques at the sanctuary are equally as likely to come from the pet trade and laboratories as they are widely exploited in both industries.
Bonnet macaques are named for their distinctive hairstyle, which resembles a toupee with a part down the middle. Bonnet macaques are thought to be the most social of macaque species.
The bonnets who we care for are no exception and will often be found together in a “cuddle puddle.” Grooming, resting, and playing together is common for these largely peaceful monkeys. Like anyone, they have their disputes, but they are often quick to make up and put their differences behind them.
Our most recent bonnet macaque rescues, Max, Bernie, and Poppy, were kept illegally as pets for the first decade of their lives. Their former owner had all their canine teeth pulled out so that their bites would not cause injury. This cruel practice is common in the pet trade. The three now live with long-term residents, Mig and LeMond, in a large, open top enclosure at our sanctuary.
These monkeys make up the largest number of those we are asked to rescue. The most used monkey in laboratories, and regularly kept as pets, rhesus macaques are exploited in their thousands each year in the United States.
The rhesus macaque is the most widely distributed primate species in the world (after humans) in terms of geographical range. This is testament to their incredible ability to adapt to their surroundings.
Known for their feisty nature, rhesus macaques are often the most challenging of monkeys to introduce into a social group. Both those kept as pets and those formerly exploited in laboratories come to us carrying the trauma of their previous lives. One of our most recent arrivals, Pablito, has shown himself to be the exception to the rule and became fast friends with long-term resident, Dawkins, very soon after his arrival. As the smallest rhesus macaque at the sanctuary, Pablito is dwarfed by Dawkins, who is by far the largest. The unusual looking pair spend their time grooming and foraging together peacefully. Their new lives could not be more different to their past experiences. We look forward to seeing this friendship continue to blossom over time.
Named for their short, curved tails, pig-tailed macaques have distinctive white eyelids that look like they are wearing pale eyeshadow! It is not clear why they have this particular trait, but it is thought that it could be to trick predators into thinking their eyes are open when they are sleeping.
An additional trait specific to pig-tailed macaques is a facial expression that our staff have dubbed “kissy face.” Exactly as it sounds, the monkey will pucker their lips and push them forward, as if they are moving in for a kiss! The expression is friendly or submissive and can be used as a greeting.
While less commonly seen in the pet trade, we do have some residents who were born into this cruel trade. Taz and Nala both started their lives as pets and now live in stable social groups at the sanctuary.
Vervets are relatively small monkeys, weighing in at a maximum of 18 lb. With long tails, vervets are as at home in trees as they are on the ground and would naturally live in troops of between 10 and 50 individuals.
Vervets have a large “vocabulary” of calls. Studies have shown that they adapt their language to account for different kinds of predators. For example, their call when they see a snake is different to the call they use to signal a bird of prey. In addition to alarm calls, these social monkeys have different kinds of friendly vocalizations, including trills, squeals, and grunts.
Most of the vervets we care for have been rescued from the pet trade as they become too much for their former owners to handle. These include Willis, who was found running loose in a residential area of Chicago. Since arriving at the sanctuary in 2021 at just four years old, Willis is now a handsome and strong adolescent who lives as part of a social group in a large enclosure where he burns off energy playing and exploring.
Of all the species we care for, olive baboons are by far the largest and most dangerous. Their strength and their enormous canine teeth mean that they can cause life-changing injuries if they attack. Despite the enormous risk, these animals can be found in the pet trade. Cute and vulnerable when babies, they might be surrendered into our care when their owners realize just how dangerous their “pet” has become.
Our beloved Darwin, who passed away from age-related health issues earlier this year, was kept as a pet in his early years. Due to his unnatural upbringing, Darwin struggled to relate properly with other baboons as his behavior was similar to that of a young baboon rather than the large adult he had become. His somewhat unpredictable behavior made him stand apart from his enclosure mates. While he did make some friends in the almost 25 years he lived with us, he remained very focused on his caregivers and often chose their company over that of other monkeys.
Hundreds of monkeys rescued by us have come from the cruelty of the primate pet trade – both legal and illegal. The suffering that these animals have experienced is carried with them for years after their rescue, creating challenges for them as they adjust to their new lives.
No human home can replicate the complex and dynamic social structures and challenging environments that monkeys should live in. Even sanctuaries like ours – ones that offer the highest standard of care possible – cannot provide the life that these animals deserve.
The only way to end this suffering is a complete ban on private ownership of primates as pets. The Captive Primate Safety Act would do just that, bringing an end to the harm caused by this trade and ensuring that no more primates are forced to live and suffer in human homes.
Help put an end to the cruel primate pet trade by urging your lawmakers to support the Captive Primate Safety Act! Click here to take action.
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Liz
Dear Reader,
We are a nonprofit committed to wildlife conservation, welfare, and rescue. Making resources free and widely distributed, like our news items, is an important part of our mission. If you found this article helpful, enjoyable, or enlightening, please donate to help keep these resources available, and Keep Wildlife In The Wild.
Liz Tyson, PhD
Director of Animal Welfare and Advocacy
Born Free USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN 94-6187633.
Dear Reader,
We are a nonprofit committed to wildlife conservation, welfare, and rescue. Making resources free and widely distributed, like our news items, is an important part of our mission. If you found this article helpful, enjoyable, or enlightening, please donate to help keep these resources available, and Keep Wildlife In The Wild.
