Our spider monkey trio Watson, Kasha and Corny is busy learning life skills in Makisapa Allpa. Makisapa Allpa is a jungle training enclosure located in Selva Viva, a protected forest where wildlife thrives. But how did the monkeys get there? What is the story of their origin? Keep reading to journey to the stunning Amazon, where it all takes place.
Watson
First, let’s talk about Watson: She was brought to amaZOOnico by the Ministry of the Environment last year.
At less than one month old, her outlook was grim. Infant primates who are separated from their mothers rarely survive, and, when they do, the effects of the separation are usually severe and permanent. Studies show that monkeys separated from their mothers are anxious and have poor social skills, even three years after their separation.
Despite all odds, Watson has flourished into an active, curious, and social juvenile. The staff at amaZOOnico could not be prouder of Watson’s remarkable progress. She is lucky to have the full support of Petra, her generous symbolic adoptive mother from Belgium, who ensures that she receives special nutrition and care, as she develops into a fully grown spider monkey.
Her enclosure doors opened in early 2022, as a first release attempt. Unfortunately, it did not go well. Watson, despite great interest and motivation, could not keep up with the free-living group around amaZOOnico, and spent too much time on the ground, which is an unsafe behavior for young monkeys who are better off resting and moving in treetops where predators can’t reach them. Nevertheless, there is still a huge potential for Watson to have a full life in the Amazon. During that short trial period, Watson created a strong bond with Kasha who taught her many skills that are crucial for wild monkeys to master, such as companionship and advanced movements through tree canopies. For this reason, she is currently in the transition enclosure in Selva Viva, preparing for a second release attempt.
Kasha
Now let’s meet Kasha: She was born in April 2017, and is the daughter of Mea and Johan (two permanent residents at amaZOOnico). At the end of 2018, she, together with Sherlock (another spider monkey), were released at amaZOOnico and joined the free-living group. However, they did not make a strong bond with the group, meaning that Kasha and Sherlock spent a lot of time by themselves and only partly with the free-living monkeys. Unfortunately, Sherlock went missing in early 2022, resulting in a pretty hard time for Kasha, who ended up spending a lot of time by herself. She, too, went missing around May 2022, and was not seen for over two weeks, until a member of a neighboring community spotted a spider monkey in his cacao farm, and, luckily, it was Kasha! It is presumed that she was rejected by the free-living monkeys or that she got separated from them and couldn’t find her way back to amaZOOnico. As you can imagine, the cacao farmers were not so keen on sharing their crops with her. Therefore, Kasha needed to return to a safe space, Makisapa Allpa, where she is now sharing and learning along with Watson and Corny.
Corny
Last but not least, the male of the group, charming Corny! He was born at amaZOOnico in August 2018 and is the son of Gima and Johan (yes, he is Kasha’s half-brother). Corny is the result of an adventurous love affair. He was conceived while Johan was a fugitive for the fifth time at amaZOOnico. Gima was living free around amaZOOnico at that time, and they shared a few months together. However, Johan’s aggressive behavior was not safe to other animals and humans; therefore, he was, eventually, recaptured. Gima lived around amaZOOnico for many years, but was always an outcast, showing a strong fixation in humans and spending little time with the other monkeys. When Corny was born, her behaviour worsened, endangering both her life and Corny’s. Therefore, both were placed inside an enclosure. Corny was lucky to be raised by his loving mother until he was nearly four years old. Then, together with Watson, he gave freedom a try in early 2022. Unfortunately, he did not try to follow the free-living group around amaZOOnico, although interactions were positive whenever they stopped by for a visit. Instead, he spent a lot of time outside of his mother’s cage. Accordingly, he was moved to the training enclosure in Makisapa Allpa, where he has better chances to successfully integrate to life in the jungle after bonding with Kasha and Watson.
Next chapter? Freedom.
These are the stories of three monkeys that, unlike many other unfortunate victims of wildlife trade, have made it to Makisapa Allpa, and are waiting for a chance to be free. We believe that, with your help, we can give them the opportunity to live free in the rainforest! Let’s not end their stories here — let’s help them write a new story, a story of freedom in the Amazon.
