Authorities rescue endangered creature discovered during major drug bust: 'The broader story is devastating'
The Oakland Zoo has a new, adorable, bug-eyed friend: Violeta, the spider monkey.
The local Sheriff's department rescued her during a narcotics-related search in Vallejo, California. Veterinarians at the Oakland Zoo believe she's about 18 months old and said she is in stable condition, as Patch reported.
Violeta's veterinary team will provide medical treatment, including calcium supplements, a special diet, and enrichment care while she recovers.
Although things are looking up for the monkey, her capture ignites conversations about wildlife trade.
"But the broader story is devastating," said the zoo's vice president of animal care, conservation, and research, Colleen Kinzley, per Patch.
"These animals are often torn from the wild under horrific conditions — mothers shot, infants falling from trees — and smuggled into the pet trade."
Spider monkeys are on the brink of extinction, mainly due to habitat loss and wildlife trafficking.
Patch reported that zoo CEO Nik Dehejia said, "[T]he impact on their health, social development, and chances for survival is often irreversible."
For now, the Oakland Zoo is working with Violeta until she recovers. Then, a transfer to a long-term sanctuary or zoo will be facilitated. This is not the first wild animal the zoo — and others like it — have helped rehabilitate after confiscation.
Although many states ban owning wildlife, that hasn't stopped traffickers from taking animals like spider monkeys. While these animals are cute, there are numerous reasons why people shouldn't keep them as pets.
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For example, your family's or other pets' risk of disease goes up, and wildlife veterinary needs are expensive. They can also cause unsanitary conditions and safety issues. Meanwhile, if you get caught with one, you may face a hefty fine and lose the animal.
"Wildlife trafficking is a growing conservation crisis, driving countless species, like spider monkeys and other nonhuman primates, toward extinction," Dehejia said, as ABC News reported.
So, while watching videos of adorable spider monkeys online or visiting animals at a zoo might be fun, it's best to think twice about buying one.
While you may not be able to perform rehab at a zoo, there are plenty of ways you can step up to stop animal trafficking.
An easy action that Not A Pet suggests you take today is to avoid sharing videos of wild animal pets on social media. You can also take local action by contacting your legislators and telling them to support the Captive Primate Safety Act, a bill pointed to by Dehejia that would prohibit individuals from owning primates.
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