Vernon is a male Vervet Monkey who came to live at the Primate Rescue Center in 2004. We estimate his birth year to be 1999. Vernon lived for years in the home of an animal hoarder in New York. He was housed in a small dog crate that was rarely cleaned. At the time he was confiscated, authorities found seven other primates living in the house, all in the same conditions as Vernon.
Because of his traumatic past, Vernon is very nervous around other monkeys and humans. Although he is currently housed alone, Vernon is still able to see and interact with the monkeys around him; however, he prefers to sit and groom by himself. He enjoys playing with his enrichment, whether it be scraping peanut butter out of a Kong toy or tossing and chasing plastic balls around his enclosure. Vernon loves to eat almost anything we serve him, but he is especially fond of corn, bananas, and peanuts.
Differing diets of bonobo groups may offer insights into how culture is created
Human societies developed food preferences based on a blend of what was available and what the group decided it liked most. Those predilections were then passed along as part of the set of socially learned behaviors, values, knowledge, and customs that make up culture. Besides humans, many other social animals are believed to exhibit forms of culture in various ways, too.
Primate Vocalizations Are Much More Than Gibberish
Nonhuman primates clearly do more than just screech meaningless sounds at each other, but what are the limits of their communication?
How to Move Your Elephant During a Pandemic
After decades in captivity and a 1,700-mile road trip from Argentina into Brazil, an Asian elephant named Mara finally gained a chance to roam.
How to photograph wildlife ethically
Putting the well-being of animals first should be every photographer’s goal. National Geographic photographers share tips on how they do it.
Why Chimp Moms Flock to Caves on the Savanna
When forests and woodlands don’t provide a respite from the heat, these primates find cooling centers in their arid landscape.
What It Means to Be Human
Check out this recent interview with Jane Goodall from On Being with Krista Tippet.
PRC Virtual Member Event 2020
After the decision to cancel the annual on-site Member Event at the Primate Rescue Center to protect the primates, staff, volunteers, members, and our community, the sanctuary was able to shift gears and create a virtual experience instead. This virtual event offered members an exclusive online portal to witness the gift of sanctuary and enjoy many of our event’s highlights through our first ever Virtual Member Event open from June 18 – June 27.
Can an “Invasive Species” Earn the Right to Stay?
An anthropologist applies the practice of “multispecies ethnography” to study a controversial, flourishing population of macaques on Florida’s Silver River.
In the wild, chimpanzees are more motivated to cooperate than bonobos
Chimpanzees are more territorial than bonobos and in some populations engage more frequently in group hunts. According to the interdependence hypothesis, chimpanzees should thus have evolved a higher tendency to cooperate and help others in the group.
Happy World Chimpanzee Day!
Today is World Chimpanzee Day – a day to celebrate all chimpanzees, wild and captive. We want to spend today highlighting and honoring the nine chimpanzees who call the PRC home! Each chimp is a unique individual with their own likes, dislikes and interests, and we...
