Peru Pet Trade to Amazon Rainforest: Orphan Monkey Enjoys Company of Another Rescued Simian

A young woolly monkey named Chaska was saved from the pet trade in Peru and taken to an Amazonian wildlife sanctuary. The orphan monkey becomes acclimated to its new surroundings and develops relationships with another rescued simian.

Wildlife traffickers took the animal from the forest, separating her from her mother before selling it as a pet in the city. The name of the orphan monkey in Quechua, the native tongue of the Incas, is "bright star."

Together with Peru's wildlife department, Animal Defenders International (ADI), which deals with animal welfare as well as conservation issues, removed the monkey and transported it to safety.

Chaska was loaded into a truck after a long journey, a thorough examination, as well as veterinary care. The team traveled 275 miles in 12 hours, crossing a river even in the rain. They then traveled 630 miles by airplane before completing the journey by boat.

The rescuers brought the monkey to Pilpintuwasi, a sanctuary for animals in Peru's Amazon rainforest. The nonprofit organization is committed to safeguarding animals impacted by the illicit wildlife trade. If at all possible, they collaborate with ADI to rescue, treat, and reintegrate wildlife.

The center is situated on roughly 50 acres along the Nanay River in northern Peru, close to Padre Cocha. About 20 different species live there, including ocelots, jaguars, parrots, numerous varieties of monkeys, and butterflies.

Chaska's New BFF

Rescuers from ADI were inspired by Fausto, a monkey who was saved as a baby from a restaurant in Peru, as they thought about Chaska's tale. After his friend passed away, Fausto moved into the Pilpintuwasi facility by himself.

To enable the introduction and safe meeting of the two monkeys, ADI raised money to construct an enclosure. The door was left open between them once they began to show interest in one another and grew accustomed to being close by.

Chaska was so excited that she tugged on Fausto's arms and body and touched his face, obviously happy to be near him.Chaska was obviously happy to be near Fausto because she pulled on his arms and torso and touched his face out of sheer excitement. Despite being much bigger and fully grown than Chaska, Fausto was kind to her and seemed to love having her there.

Jan Creamer, president of ADI, said that every once in a while, a moving and motivational story comes along to encourage people and keep them centered on the positive changes they can bring about in the world. These incidents or stories occasionally result in significant legislation that forbids cruelty and suffering or tell the tale of a person whose life was irrevocably altered by human activity.

Read also: Hybrid Monkey Spotted in the Borneo Rainforest of Malaysia 

Woolly Monkeys

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has designated woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha) as being at risk of going extinct due to their declining population numbers. They experience habitat loss as a result of development and agriculture, as well as frequent hunting and trapping.

The monkeys typically travel, eat, sleep, and play together in their large, complex social groups. Around the age of five months, young monkeys begin to become independent.

Creamer said that escapes like Chaska's always give hope to rescue organizations, showing them that success is possible and moving us one step closer to a world where animals are treated better, Treehugger reports.

Related article: Ecuador: The First Country in the World to Give Distinct Legal Rights to Wild Animals