After the horrible story we told you last time on our blog we wanted to write a blog about the monkeys we have saved since we’ve been here.
We got a phone call on the hot line saying that a Colobus monkey had been hit by a car so we went to its location with the response team. You could see the Colobus was injured so we had to take it with us to the surgery at the project base. Using a dart and a net the monkey was captured and taken to the trust.

Above: The Colobus with its head injury
The Colobus had a big wound on his head and was bleeding from his ear. We did first aid and cleaned the wounds caused by the road accident and then waited for a one of the two vets that help the Trust with their work In the surgery we examined him together with the vet. At first we thought the monkey had an internal bleeding but he recovered very well after putting him on a drip and giving him medication. He stayed one day for observation in the rehabilitation cage. Then we looked out for his family so we could return him back into the wild.
A week later we responded to another call- a Colobus was hit by a car and had a head injury. When we arrived at location he was in the tree and we had to get the monkey down with tranquilizers. After first aid, treatment and observation we were really happy this monkey also survived!!
Another patient that came to the Trust required longer-term care. The day she was brought into the Trust by 3 boys she really looked like she was not going to make it. She was just lying in our arms even without being given tranquilizers. She was vey weak and had a swollen eye, so she couldn’t see anymore. We did first aid and prayed she was going to make it. She needed drops in her eyes every day and also needed injections. In the beginning we could only feed her some water with a syringe. After some days we started to give her some small pieces of fruit. We fed her like a baby and every day we saw she was getting stronger. Her eye was also getting better, but for some time she remained blind unfortunately…

Above: The Sykes struggles on
Eventually we put her alone in a cage in the rehabilitation. She started climbing and interacting with other monkeys outside the cage. After another week or so her sight gradually came back and happily she was released back to her troop in the wild!

Above: The Sykes being fed by Joyce
It is really great to see monkeys recover from their injuries. Sadly in these last weeks we’ve seen many monkeys die from road accidents but it really fills us with joy when the monkey actually survives and goes back to his family.
Protecting and taking care of all these monkeys is very costly. The project has to pay for the medicines and also for the vet when there are injured monkeys. We are making bridges so the monkeys can easily cross the road without getting hit by a car. People who would like to donate something for the project and bridges are welcome to, because it’s still needed!!! All donations, big or small, we really appreciate that!! Please let your friends and family know about what we are doing at this project.
Thank You! We wish you all the best for 2010!!
Greetings,
Joyce and Angelique
Eco-volunteers from the Netherlands