
This is our brand-new jungle training enclosure for woolly monkeys. Thanks to a generous grant from Lush Cosmetics, the continued support of the Padrinos, and years of dreaming and planning, this new enclosure has opened, and our group of woolly monkeys is benefitting enormously! Kiwi, Keisha, Canela, Shila, and Diego—all of them are enjoying the closest conditions to freedom that we can offer animals unfit for release. The jungle training enclosure is big and roofless. This means our woolly monkeys are free to explore and swing amongst full-sized trees while foraging for their own leaves and insects.
This project was first conceived back in 2018, and after several delays, it has finally become a reality. The roughly 1,500m² enclosure is the perfect sanctuary for primates that are unfit to return to life in the jungle. The benefit for the individuals who have transitioned from a traditional enclosure to the jungle training enclosure cannot be overstated. Signs of stress have diminished, and levels of natural activity are through the roof (or would be if the enclosure had a roof). In all truth, more than a few tears have been shed at the sight of these beautifully majestic but horribly unlucky victims swinging freely through the trees once again!
The downside of this, of course, is that the jungle training enclosure is directly adjacent to our spider monkey enclosure. This means that spider monkeys have to look on with jealousy each day as their fluffier brethren soar through the treetops with abandon. But if countless celebrity court cases have taught us anything, it’s that money can buy freedom. And the same is surprisingly true at amaZOOnico. That’s why in 2025, we plan to focus our efforts on raising funds to construct a Place to Swing for our well-deserving spider monkeys. Don Remigio and Edison have identified the location, sketched the plans, and we know that Johan, Mea, and Guima are ready to stretch their legs!
After witnessing the woolly monkeys flourish in their new home, we knew we couldn’t stop there. The spider monkeys deserve the same chance at a more natural life.
Watch the Woolly Monkey Enclosure Come to Life: