It's a Howlin' Success!

At The Belize Zoo, sometimes animals are received that can be rehabilitated for a life back into the wild. For instance, a few of the species TBZ has rehabilitated and set free includes Anteaters, a Jabiru stork, and a pair of Bat Falcons.

When it comes to primates, both the Spider Monkey and the Howler Monkey, TBZ is lucky to be able to work in concert with primatologist Robin Brocket. Robin heads up the Wildlife Care Center and for well over a decade or more, she has been restoring monkeys back into the forests of our country. Many times, the monkeys have been kept illegally as pets. Government officials at the Forest Department will confiscate wildlife held illegally, and then bring the animals to facilities which can properly manage these species, or in the best situation, rehabilitate them for release back into the wild.

For confiscated monkeys, anyone “in the know “ here in Belize, realizes that Robin’s expertise is to be trusted for restoring monkeys held in captivity back into a wild environment. The process begins with Robin providing native foods for the monkeys, foods which they will later seek out as they forage along in their wild habitat. Monkeys are real “troopers’!! They live in troops with a bit of a social structure. Robin has found that the success rate of a monkey introduction is far more likely if a small group is first brought together, trained to eat their favourite available browse foods, and then, released together as a compatible troop, back into the forest.

If a Spider Monkey or a Howler Monkey proves to be lacking the “primate powers” for a sound life in the wild, then, Robin works with Zoo officials to see that a smooth introduction occurs within the established "Monkey Homes" at the zoo. It is very tricky “Monkey Business.” However, both species are positioned to have brighter futures due to the complementary work established between the Wildlife Care Center and The Belize Zoo.

A very important lesson to convey, monkeys make bad pets! It is not only illegal to keep both the Spider and Howler Monkeys as pets, but having a monkey in close proximity to us, can pose serious health problems to both monkeys AND people! Hey! Best to keep them wild in the wild!!