Providing Sanctuary for Primates 

Nikki, a Japanese Macaque, © Tim Ajax, Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary, Inc.

Monkeys are so cute, especially babies. Their human-like faces are endearing, innocent, and intelligent, deceiving people into thinking that monkeys would make charming pets. Once the cuteness wears off, however, most people find themselves in dramatic or dangerous situations. 

“Primates like to explore, climb, tear things up, and exhibit other behaviors people see as aggressive,” said Tim Ajax, sanctuary director at Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary in Newcastle. “Frankly, people with good intentions soon find themselves with an uncontrollable animal that is destructive or bites. So, the monkey gets moved into a cage, and the behavior grows worse.” 

Ajax has dedicated three decades to caring for exotic animals rescued from the pet trade. He got his start in Texas during the 1990s, when it was popular to keep big cats, like mountain lions or jaguars. Eventually cities enacted regulations against housing big cats, so then, the primate trade took off. 

Primate Problems 

According to Ajax, “Owning monkeys is legal in many states, but breeders literally pry a weeks-old baby away from its mother, so the baby is traumatized from the beginning. Many monkeys then develop the same heartbreaking behaviors that highly-traumatized children develop, such as biting or hitting themselves or other abnormal behaviors.” 

Ajax wishes his job didn’t exist, but the need is great. Pet-trade primates cannot be returned to the wild because they don’t “act” like primates. Their improper social behaviors are not accepted by their wild counterparts, who usually chase them away, injure or even kill them. 

The sanctuary, founded in the 1990s, has outdoor enclosures housing 96 individual animals, representing 15 species of primates. Experienced staff manage the primates’ health and provide enrichment. For a job that can sometimes seem sad, the staff view every rescued monkey as a success. 

“We can’t give them the wild lifestyle they were denied, but we provide them a more natural and enriching environment than they had,” Ajax said. “We don’t play with them. They aren’t our friends or buddies. We don’t sell, trade, buy, breed, or display them. This is simply their home.” 

Nikki’s Story 

Ajax is gratified when any monkey shows evidence of improved behavior, by getting along with another monkey or showing interest in the great outdoors. He has fond memories of an extremely old Japanese Macaque named Nikki, who was rescued from the home of a deceased owner. 

“Nikki was living in a parrot cage covered with feces, and she had a huge mass on her leg,” Ajax said. “After the mass was removed, she was put in an outdoor enclosure. It was probably her first outdoor experience, her first time to sit on grass, hear a bird or see a butterfly. Surprisingly, she even had successful interactions with another monkey.” 

“Although Nikki passed away peacefully several years later, I can say that she had some time in the sun and the rain, and she had a better quality of life in her final years.” 

Sanctuary Improvements 

The Primate Sanctuary is trying to upgrade and expand its operations. Decade-old enclosures need refurbishing, and the site has reached full capacity. Without state or government funding, it operates solely on grants and donations. 

Above all, Ajax encourages people to avoid primates as pets. “It’s easy to fall for the cute baby monkeys, but please consider a cute shelter dog or cat instead. Hopefully, someday, primate shelters won’t be needed any longer.” 

Visit OkPrimates.org or OkPrimates on Facebook and Instagram to learn more. 

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