Lemurs and Gibbons and Squirrels! Oh My!

Name: Sofia E. Contreras
Class Year: 2019
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Internship: Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary
Location: The Crags, South Africa

At this point I am well past the halfway point of my internship here at Monkeyland. The past several weeks have gone by so quickly and the end of my stay is fast approaching.

I've learned so much here from my experiences, observations, and a bit of research. One of my responsibilities here is to guide tours through the forest where the primates live. The purpose of this isn't just to give guests to see these amazing animals so close. We do these tours to educate the public on the species that are housed here. Because of the educational component of tour guiding I have had to learn as much as I could about all 11 of the species of primates we have here. I have needed to learn everthing about each species from their natural range to their diets and life histories. More importantly I needed to be able to share all these facts with guests in a way that is easy for them to understand and is interesting.

Before coming here I was mostly interested in carnivores. I didn't really know much about primates, other than how to identify some species and basic facts, and I found the task of caring for them to be outside of my comfort zone. So, I decided to take a chance and take this opportunity to work with these animals that were still a mystery to me. Maybe I could even gain a greater appreciation of them.

And, after near constant exposure to all things primate related, I've found that I was right.

Working with and around these curious, lively animals has made me appreciate them more than I had before. I didn't dislike them, but I always had this impression that those who loved primates did so because they are similar to us humans. But they aren't. I like animals of all kinds because they are so different from us. Being around primates almost daily has allowed to really see these differences.

Additionally, it has been wonderful to observe and learn about the different personalities of different species and individuals. Although it's important to not anthropomorphize the animals too much, knowing their personalities has allowed me to better understand and work with them.

For example, the Bolivian Squirrel monkeys are a force to be reckoned with. They almost always travel through the forest in one or two large groups. They are easily identifiable by their high pitched, shrill sqeaks, and are fierce and adorable. They are also incredibly adventurous and seem to be all knowing, so don't say anything bad about them.

Then there are the Ring Tail Lemurs. Of all the species they are the most relaxed and are completely indifferent towards the presence of people. They spend their days lounging in the sun, playing, or curled up together. Although they spend most of the time on the ground they travel through the trees with grace and impecable agility. Though, when they sit in the trees the remind me of Christmas tree ornaments for some reason. This is probably because they both invoke feelings of joy and relaxation.

The one Hanuman Langur in the forest, Ghandi, is one of the individuals we have to be the most careful around because he can be aggressive if he feels threatened. So, when guiding tours by him, it is vital that he is given his space and that we don't look him in the eye. Additionally, he and the only other langur we have, a Spectacled Langur called Calick, seem to favor the hard boiled eggs over any other food we put out on the various feeding stations.

My experience here has been an adventure that I could have never imagined. Watching the monkeys grow and live as wildly as they possibly can is a gift. Especially with the young Capuchins and Vervet monkeys (between 3 months [Capuchins] to 7 months [Vervets]) wander off on their own, clumsily and bright eyed with an unsatiable curiosity.

Everyday I am reminded of why I chose to care for and protect animals everywhere. I do it because life is beautiful and precious and the lives of these animals is worth more than anything. Everyday here I get to share my passion with other people and teach them about what I care so much about. And maybe I can inspire someone else to take up the awesome challenge of caring for and protecting animals.