Primarily Primates

Phoenix lived as an exotic pet until she arrived at PPI in 2017. Eventually, the family’s dog attacked her arms and her owners chose to avoid the expense of veterinary care. The veterinarian contacted Primarily Primates to ask if we’d assist, so PPI covered her veterinary costs and she became a sanctuary resident. Phoenix’s injuries caused her to lose her right hand, but she has an active life with Jordan, another surrendered ring-tailed lemur along with other lemurs who have expanded their social horizons.

Thank you to donors Marisela Milam, Mary Harris, and Traci Botsford for the veggie parties enjoyed by chimps Baxter, Herbie, Emma, Jackson, and CJ! Go to PrimarilyPrimates.org to donate a fruit or veggie party to any of our amazing residents 🥳❤️

Amongst some of our longtime aviary residents resides Antigone, a five-and-a half foot tall Sarus crane. Antigone interestingly shares a special relationship with lemur Phoenix, and they can often be heard calling each other back and forth🩷

Our spacious aviary and parrot house, both featuring branches and trees for perching and exposure to warm sunlight and protection from the elements, allow these birds space to fly and express their wild behaviors, unlike what they experienced living in tiny enclosures in pet homes. And our care staff is armed with research, the right husbandry training, lots of patience and knowledge of a proper diet to provide birds with the best care possible.

We can all learn from bonnet macaque Joey, who clearly knows how to cope with unpredictable spring weather…LAYERING!

In Texas it was 95 degrees before a cold front blew in last night and temps plummeted!

Before finding sanctuary at PPI in 2002, Joey was an ex-pet who had been shuffled around to a couple of different owners. The cap-like dark coil of hair on Joey’s head peeking out from his ensemble, which radiates outward from the center and resembles a hat, is why bonnet macaques, got their name. Bonnet macaques are only found in India!

Everyone at the sanctuary is envious of Joey’s hair, which always look good even in the heat & humidity.

He’s very friendly and gets so excited when care staff approaches he runs around in circles before scooting over to the edge of his habitat for a back scratch. He is particularly fond of jasmine rice given to him on a bed of lettuce.

Say hi to Jimmy and Emilio, crested capuchins, and Puck, a brown capuchin, who we rescued from a sanctuary in need on the West Coast in December. They have made themselves at home at Primarily Primates! Jimmy and Emilio have made it known what they like—they get particularly excited about mixed nuts and mirrors. Who wouldn’t like to look at themselves with those long tufts of hair converging to form a crest!

Puck has never lived with another capuchin before, but we think he’d be a good match with Shayna, so we are slowly introducing them.

These capuchins entered the sanctuary world as “surpluses” from zoo breeding programs. Notably, crested capuchins are among Brazil’s most endangered primates. These intelligent tool-users face extinction because of habitat loss and fragmentation from deforestation for soy, coffee, palm oil, cattle ranching, mining, and urban expansion in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. They are also impacted by hunting and the illegal pet trade.

Please donate to their lifelong care at primarilyprimates.org. Thanks to your support, Primarily Primates remains one of the very few accredited sanctuaries that actively rescues primates in need.

Say hello to our newest spider monkey Shep. Shep, who is about 2 years old, was exploited by the exotic pet trade before we rescued him in April. He had been in the possession of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and then brought to the Houston Zoo.

Read more about Shep and our work with the Wildlife Confiscation Network here: https://primarilyprimates.org/ppi-welcomes-spider-monkey-shep/

If you thought that PPI residents couldn't get any cuter...think again. Meet baby goats Ru, Jose, Darla, Jerome, Dora, Delia, Pup, and Ponce. These Spanish/Boer goats are all between 2 weeks and 2 months old and arrived at the sanctuary from a ranch. Since these babies don't have their mothers to take care of them, they've been getting extra attention as they require bottle feeding and other special care. They love people and are quite the little brush clearers! We're excited to watch them settle in and continue to grow at Primarily Primates.🐐❤️