Lonely Daisy Finds Love at The Monkey Sanctuary

2nd March 2015

A lonely old capuchin monkey named Daisy has gone on a successful first date following the death of her partner.

Following a public appeal, Wild Futures’ Monkey Sanctuary rescued 50 year old Daisy back in January and transported her to Cornwall to give her a home for life at their specialist sanctuary.

Daisy was originally confiscated from an exotic animal breeder in Wales, where she was being kept in terrible conditions. Isolated and alone from any of her kind, when she was rescued she had healed cigarette burns and badly mended, fractured fingers from her previous life. Likely taken from her mother as a tiny infant, she also has a laparotomy scar- allegedly from her time imprisoned in a laboratory breeding facility. A caring couple nursed Daisy back to health and found her another capuchin monkey for company, but after many years together he died, leaving her alone and desperate for company, prompting Daisy’s owners to ask Wild Futures to take her on and introduce her to new friends. Capuchins are a particularly intelligent, social species that naturally live in the rainforests of South and Central America.

Daisy spent four weeks in quarantine in specially designed enclosures with expert care at the sanctuary before she was introduced to Peppy, a capuchin monkey of the same species as Daisy. Their ‘first date’ went incredibly well, with Daisy and Peppy bonding quickly and keepers encouraged by their progress.

Senior Primate Keeper, Louisa Marchbanks, said: “It is just fantastic to see Daisy making friends here at our Sanctuary. She has really fallen for Peppy and he does seem smitten with her too! She will now continue to meet the other monkeys from Peppy’s group and hopefully make more friends. It’s going to be great to follow her progress over the coming months- she certainly is a very happy monkey now.”

Wild Futures have taken in over 30 capuchins; many rescued from conditions of abuse and neglect in the primate pet trade. Each individual has been socialised with other monkeys and now live in spacious, natural enclosures at The Monkey Sanctuary, which is now open to visitors until November.

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Notes to Editors:

About Wild Futures
Wild Futures (Charity reg. No. 1102532) is an educational and environmental charity promoting the welfare and conservation of primates, and working to end the abuse of primates in captivity. Its flagship project, The Monkey Sanctuary, in Cornwall, is home to victims of the primate pet trade. The Monkey Sanctuary is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) and is a founder member of EARS (European Alliance of Rescue Centres and Sanctuaries). Drawing on 50 years of primate expertise, Wild Futures acts as an advisory body to sanctuaries and conservation organisations in the UK and overseas and advises DEFRA on UK animal welfare legislation.

The Monkey Sanctuary Information:

Telephone: 0844 272 1271
Web: www.monkeysanctuary.org
Opening Times: Next open February half term (14th- 22nd February)

For more information or pictures, please contact:

Claire Turnbull (Senior Keeper) [email protected]
Rachel Hevesi (Director) [email protected]
Tel; 0844 272 1271
www.wildfutures.org