OfficialBornFreeUSA

Great questions! Okay, here goes:

What can the average person do to help?

Don't buy a monkey as a pet! Support sanctuaries like ours by donating, "adopting" monkeys or, if it is a possibility, volunteering (we don't currently have a volunteer program but hope to get something up and running in the coming few years).

Also, not engaging or encouraging posts on social media that promote the private keeping of primates (so, those videos with baby monkeys in diapers or baby clothes), and not taking photos when on vacation with wild animals sitting on or near you.

What is it about primates that makes them poor candidates for pets, or is it more of a problem with the humans themselves?

All monkeys are wild animals and have certain hard-wired needs that simply cannot be met when they are held captive. Unlike domestic dogs, who have (rightly or wrongly) been selective bred over millennia to become a different species to their wolf forebears, monkeys remain genetically the same to their free-living cousins. This means they haven't adapted to living alongside humans, without other of their own kind and they will inevitably suffer when they are forced to do so. Not just that, but they are all taken from their moms when they are just a few days or weeks old. The damage that does to mom and baby is immense,

How well do the primates in the sanctuary get along with each other and with you?

It depends on the individual. Some have a real hard time adapting to life as a monkey, particularly as, for a lot of our residents, the first time they have seen another monkey in years is the moment they arrive here. It takes time and patience (both theirs and ours) to encourage them to socialise with other monkeys and really feel comfortable. Once they make friends, they tend to form strong friendships but, like humans, not everyone gets on with one another. For example, two of our vervet monkeys, Billie and Teddy, just don't like each other. If they meet, they argue, so we tend to keep them in different groups.

Some of the monkeys like attention from their caregivers and others are indifferent. Darwin the baboon (who is pictured in my proof photo) is very friendly with us. He was kept as a pet for years and still finds some comfort in engaging with us. He is the sweetest guy!

What is Ace Ventura like in person?

He's just "okay".

Thanks for your question! You would have thought it was already outlawed, right?! There are different laws across different states but most allow the keeping of some or all primates privately. There IS pending legislation which would provide a federal solution and protect future generations of primates from suffering. It's the Captive Primate Safety Act and it would ban the private ownership of primates as pets and also dangerous public interaction (so, handling events at zoos, etc.) You can find out more, and contact your rep here: https://www.bornfreeusa.org/action-center/cpsa/

It is something that, as far as I am aware, only happens when they are held captive. And it has been seen in chimps, but not monkeys. Why? Possibly frustration at being held captive? Or because they can...

Our monkeys will avoid getting poop on them and wouldn't choose to touch or handle it. When I worked with woolly monkeys in the past, they found the touch and smell of their own poop disgusting and would sometimes scream with dismay if they accidentally stepped in it.

Also, fun fact, poop smells different between species even if they have the same diet. Woolly monkey poop is very unpleasant, ,macaque poop is more or less inoffensive, and capuchin poop has an almost pleasant musky smell.

The best way to check if a sanctuary near you is legit, is to check out the website of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). They accredit the best sanctuaries that pass a really rigorous assessment. They have a map which show all of their members. Here: https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/find-a-sanctuary/

I have never seen Planet of the Apes :/ But who knows what might be possible so... maybe...?