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Chiquito is a Passionate Monkey

4/26/2014

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PictureReaching for Olivier with four limbs and a tail.
    Chiquito is passionate about the things he loves, and one of his favorite things is a human... our regent biologist, Olivier.
      Chiquito only sees Olivier four times a year, but when he does, it's a very tactile meeting. He hugs Olivier.  He grooms Olivier's hair.  He sniffs his fingers after touching Olivier's chest, where spider monkeys have a scent gland.  He licks the sweat on Oliver's forehead.
     At four years of age, Chiquito is too strong and potentially dangerous to interact with Olivier without chain link between them.  And were he so inclined, he could do serious damage through the chain link - but the only time he exhibits frustration (by showing his teeth) is when he has to let go.  

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Sniffing his finger after touching Olivier's chest.
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Grooming Olivier's hair.
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Licking Olivier's forehead.
     It takes two of us to peel Olivier's shirt from Chiquito's hands and feet.  Still unwilling to say good-bye, he reaches out with the "long arm of his tail."
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Trying to pull Olivier closer.
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Offering his tail for a last good-bye.
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Chiquito Still Loves His Blanket

4/12/2014

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PictureSitting on a tree limb wrapped in his blanket.
    Chiquito has always loved having a security blanket.  The first few weeks after he arrived he wrapped himself in his blanket and looked sad, as he did the one heart-wrenching time he was sick. 
      He's a macho four year-old guy now, with large huevos and equally impressive fangs. But he still loves his "binkie."
      
     I found the perfect monkey blanket at Value Village on my last trip to the States - it's plush and has an appliqued monkey on it - and Chiquito has been duly appreciative.  He still steals Lolita's blanket (which she never uses), but if he's wrapped up, it's always in HIS blanket.  
     Here Lolita teases Chiquito, pulling his blanket through the common chainlink wall.

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    In the jungle with the monkeys.

    Michele Gawenka 

       Jane Goodall has always been my hero, and working with primates an aspiration.  Africa wasn't in the cards the summer I turned 16, when my parents offered to send me to volunteer,  and there was only one class (in physical anthro-pology) when I wanted to study primatology in college.  
         Decades later my husband and I retired in Costa Rica, and this is our journey with spider (and howler) monkeys. 

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