(SeveraL of the 29 hybrid macaques transferred from Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio to the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary explore their new home after being released into a large enclosure on Saturday, August 11th 2012.) (photo courtesy of Born Free USA)
Born Free USA, an organization that deals with animal welfare and wildlife conservation has completed the largest transfer of macaques in history. This past September marked the ending of a journey that involved transferring 107 macaques and one baboon from their former home, the defunct Wild Animal Orphange (WAO), San Antonio, Texas to their new location in Dilley, Texas. The macaques and baboon will now live out their lives in the primate sanctuary on 186 acres under the supervision of Tim Ajax, Director of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary. With over 20 years of hands-on experience, Tim brings extensive immobilization, enrichment, animal care, and enclosure design experience to the sanctuary. Tim is a strong advocate of providing a high quality of life for captive animals with a focus on space, companionship and enrichment which is precisely what the new members will require.
The journey for the macaques and one baboon began in August 2010 when WAO was in a “do or die situation” and was forced to find homes for over 100 macaques, 55 tigers, 14 African lions, 16 chimpanzees, six wolf hybrids, and 20 baboons according to a press release I received from Born Free USA. Due to underfunding, overpopulation and inadequate housing, WAO made the right and only decision to save these animals’ lives, in my estimation. Combining the leadership of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries of which Born Free is a member, sanctuaries were found and capable of providing new homes for all of the animals listed. If Born Free had not stepped up to aid in this huge and worthy project, the macaques would have been euthanized.
The demanding assignment had its challenges to accomplish this never-before-done transfer of macaque monkeys. Eight months was dedicated to building and preparing the proper facilities for their new residents. Because of social groupings among the monkeys, 12 different animal groupings, the age range- under a year old to in their ’30’s, health conditions and mental conditions as result of their captivity prior to WAO, Born Free USA needed to work diligently and delicately to handle this precarious situation and they did!
Understanding that macaques are used widely for medical experimentation, I wanted to know the origins of their new residents. Tim Ajax told me that 63 of the new primates were utilized in research, four originated from a zoo, two were victims of the pet trade and 39 were born at WAO as a result of uncontrolled breeding.
With new facilities in place for over 100 new residents, I asked how the staff was prepared to take care of the huge influx of macaques. Mr. Ajax replied by saying “the staff is doing very well. We are more spread out now, but we anticipated the need for additional staff and hired the first extra staff member in April to prepare for the incoming animals and recently hired our fifth animal caretaker bringout out total, including management, to seven.”
With the largest relocation of macaque monkeys in history, I inquired about the financial strain this will place upon their sanctuary. Mr. Ajax anticipated the need for additional expenses for dry feed, hay and produce and that a 10-15% increase has been added to the budget. The sanctuary has received some generous funding from several foundations to assist in the initial care of the extra primates and they are actively engaged in soliciting more assistance to ensure that they will be able to meet their financial obligations for the remainder of the animals’ lives.
One way in which the public can help with the sanctuary is to “adopt” a primate for $52/yr. You can click on this link to learn more.
The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary offers macaques, vervets, and baboons rescued from abuse and exploitation a second chance at a more natural life. After being denied the freedom they deserved, these individuals have been given a new start at the Sanctuary, where they can live out their remaining days, according to their website.
For just $52 a year — that’s only $1 a week! — you can make a difference in a primate’s life. Sponsors receive an Adoption Welcome Kit, including a biography and full-color photo of their adopted individual, a Certificate of Adoption, and a special gift, as well as the sanctuary’s semi-annual newsletter, The Primate Post, which includes updates on adopted animals and on life at the Sanctuary.
Why are so many exotic pets in need of a sanctuary? Adam Roberts, Executive Vice- President of Born Free USA, says the internet is “undeniably expanding markets for wildlife as pets and facilitating a national and international trade.” He continues, “an expanded portfolio of animals are now available to more people who may not have previously been able to accesss these animals.” Mr. Roberts asserts that this is a tragedy and an epidemic. I personally have seen exotic animals kept as pets until the person(s) was unable to take care of them. Exotic pets such as alligators were found in a creek in southeastern Pennsylvania a few years ago within days of each other. The most likely scenario is that these two alligators became too large to be contained inside the home, too dangerous for the owners to control and found themselves unable to meet the needs of the exotic pets.
Exotic animals are just that -exotic, and not meant to be pets no matter how cute or adorable they appear to be when young. Many exotic animals are kept in cages, chained or have their teeth or or claws removed, so the animal won’t harm their owners when kept as pets, according to the ASPCA. For me, that substantiates cruelty. When exotic animals are taken out of their natural habitat and forced to live in a domesticed lifestyle where they were not meant to live, exotic pets have been found to be malnourished, stressed and exhibit behavioral disorders. If an illness strikes an exotic pet, I would suspect many wouldn’t take this animal to a veterinarian even if they were lucky enough to find one. When these animals have found themselves at this stage, what do these owners do? Free them, as stated above. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the United States Deptartment of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have all opposed certain exotic animals as pets.
According to Born Free USA, “these animals — including, among other species, lions, tigers, cougars, wolves, bears, monkeys, alligators, and venomous snakes and other reptiles — pose grave dangers to human health and safety. By their very nature, exotic animals are unpredictable and are incapable of being domesticated or tamed.”
“In many states, people are allowed to keep exotic animals in their homes and backyards without restrictions or with only minimal oversight. Every year, people are attacked and injured by exotic “pets” or exotic animals in roadside zoos; some of the attacks are fatal, and children have too often been the victims. In recent years, people have been mauled by tigers, attacked by monkeys, and bitten by snakes, just to name a few of the tragic incidents involving exotic “pets” and incidents involving exhibited animals. View a comprehensive list of all Exotic Animal Incidents that Born Free USA tracks.”
In the case of Born Free USA’s latest members, a large number of the macaques were used for medical research. It is because of places like Born Free USA that these animals now have a place where they are able to live the remainder of their lives in a habitat that is the closest they will ever get to their natural habitat. Without Born Free USA, these monkeys would have been euthanized. With Born Free, these animals now live as they were meant to be- wild monkeys.
Born Free USA began as a result of Born Free U.K with actors Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna who starred in the 1966 film, “Born Free”. The two, who were also married in real life, became involved in animal rights after being so deeply affected by making of this film and established the first Born Free in the U.K. Born Free U.K. has evolved into Born Free USA and Born Free Kenya.
To see how the new residents of Born Free are doing today, I encourage you to click on the following links. I commend what this sanctuary/organization is doing for animals that belong in the wild. By giving them back the closest form of their natural habitat, Born Free USA is doing exactly what their title symbolizes. They can finally be free!
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