California Highway Patrol troopers were stunned by the “next level monkey business” they discovered inside a Rolls-Royce Ghost speeding through Madera County Monday night. They included five cell phones, four large containers of weed, and a one-month-old spider monkey in a costume. .
Experts say that not only is it illegal to keep pet primates in California, but keeping baby spider monkeys is especially dangerous. Young primates are endangered and require constant monitoring and skilled care to survive.
A suspect was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence near Madera on Monday night.
(California Highway Patrol)
According to the CHP, the driver of the luxury vehicle, which costs more than $350,000 new, was stopped for speeding northbound on California 99th Avenue 17 North near Madera. He was later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, possession of an exotic animal, and possession of marijuana for sale.
The suspect, identified as Ali Mused Adel Mohamed, was booked into the county jail, a spokesperson for the Madera County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
What about monkeys? He has a new home and a new nickname.
Marijuana was allegedly found in the possession of a suspected drunk driver near Madera on Monday night.
(California Highway Patrol)
On Tuesday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife took the monkey to the Oakland Zoo. The Oakland Zoo specializes in providing sanctuary and care for exotic animals confiscated across the state. These include African lions, tigers, gibbons, macaws, chimpanzees, parrots, goats, sheep, rabbits, reptiles, and more.
“We really want to discourage people from participating in this kind of pet trade, because it’s clearly illegal and it’s not good for animals to be kept in unqualified care. Because it’s not good,” said Capt. Nathan Smith of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “Many of the spider monkeys we see are malnourished due to a lack of understanding about their dietary and medical needs.”
In the wild, spider monkeys are cared for by their mothers for the first two years of their lives, he said. He said people who keep cats as illegal pets often underestimate the level of ongoing care their cats require and don’t give them enough milk.
Smith said illegal trade in exotic animals, including spider monkeys, is becoming a problem in California.
The confiscated monkeys are now in the care of experienced zookeepers, who were initially overwhelmed with nowhere to take them after their arrests on Monday night.
The arresting officer bravely volunteered to take the primate home and care for it overnight.
On Tuesday morning, he dropped off the monkey at Madera County Animal Services, where staff nicknamed him “Marcel,” after Ross Geller’s pet monkey on the sitcom “Friends.”
Amy Toler takes care of Marcel, an illegal exotic pet.
(Madera County Animal Services)
Madera County Animal Services Director Amy Toler cared for the monkey Monday morning as she waited for the Fish and Wildlife Service to pick it up.
Toler said Marcel was the first spider monkey confiscated in Madera County, so she called the nearby Fresno Chaffee Zoo for advice on caring for the monkey.
“We just kept the monkey warm with blankets,” she said. “We gave him mashed bananas and water. We had diapers changed.”
Ms Toler said she was happy to spend a quiet morning swaddling the monkey and getting it the care it needed at Auckland Zoo.
