Page 5 - MAIN stage 002

Opposable thumbs?

ost, but not all monkeys have op-
Mposable thumbs. Old world mon-
keys, humans and apes have opposable
thumbs, as do pandas and opossums.

An animal is said to have an opposable
thumb if the thumb can be bent in a way
that it can touch all the other fingers and
Long-tailed macaque
toes on the same hand or foot. General- surely have opposable
ly, only primates have opposable thumbs thumbs.
but it is seen in other animals.

Primates that do not have use of an that do not move in the same way as an
opposable thumb include the marmoset opposable thumb. Primates lacking this
and the tarsier. Many monkeys, such as appendage often compensate by using
spider monkeys, have a thumb, but it is their tails to aid in locomotion and other
not opposable. The colobus has thumbs daily tasks.

Why are our monkeys in enclosures?

Many people’s opinions are they belong in because they did not grow up

nature which is completely correct. from birth in their natural habi-
tat. What can go wrong if a pet
monkey is just released they can

But unfortunately, our rescue they can climb and jump and be attacked by their own species

monkeys are former pet mon- move around. So we make sure which can lead to serious inju-
keys who were raised from they get the necessary develop- ries or it can be fatal. Every res-
an early age by their previous ment, stimulation and nutrition. cue is our responsibility to make

owners. When the monkeys are Unfortunately, these monkeys sure they are protected here at
small, it is easy to handle them cannot just be released because Bali Monkey Aid Network.

but once they start to become they have no survival instinct
independent it is difficult for
their owners to handle them.

They also start developing be-
havioral problems when their

environment is not acceptable.
Unfortunately, most of them
end up in small pet cages that

are not suitable for them at all,
or chained to a tree or pole.

When they come to Bali Mon-
key Aid Network they go into
proper enclosures to make sure

they have enough space where