The team at our primate rehabilitation centre in Bogor, West Java, has rescued a pet monkey that was abandoned by her owners at a popular tourist spot not far from our centre. Ironically, the female long-tailed macaque was dumped on 16 March which was International Macaque Day.
The team found the macaque, whom they have named Indie, near the Curug Nangka Waterfall at the foot of Mount Salak. Wild monkeys live in the area but, having been kept as a pet, Indie no longer exhibited the natural behaviour of a wild macaque. She showed no fear of humans and was no longer physically or mentally equipped to live in the forest.
When our team arrived to rescue the abandoned monkey, she was being attacked by a group of wild monkeys and in urgent need of help.
The vets were very concerned about Indie’s condition. She was limp and clearly traumatised – remaining unresponsive and lifeless as they examined her. Her eyes were extremely sore.
Our team took Indie back to our rescue and rehabilitation centre in Bogor for urgent treatment. They administered fluids and supplements because she was extremely dehydrated.She is currently being kept under observation by the veterinary team.
Alan Knight, IAR Chief Executive, said: “Indie’s case illustrates the damage that is done to wild primates by keeping them in captivity as pets. Not only has she lost her natural instincts and behaviours, she has become so strange and unfamiliar to others of her own species that she was persecuted and attacked by them.
“To abandon an animal that has been forced to become completely dependent on human beings for food, shelter and protection is callous in the extreme. Without our team’s intervention the poor macaque would either have died slowly of starvation or been killed by other animals.”
Knight concluded: “Yet again our team has been called upon to pick up the pieces caused by keeping a wild animal as a pet. Our will do their best to repair the mental and physical damage Indie has suffered but it is too early to tell whether she will ever be able to return to her natural home in the forest. At least she is in safe hands now and will be given all the treatment and care she needs to recover.”