Luna is a female monk saki who arrived at RAREC in October 2018 at approximately two years old. Before her rescue, she was kept as a pet in a home with dogs, cats, chickens, and children—an environment far from suitable for a wild monkey and one that exposed her to various zoonotic diseases.

Historically, monk sakis were captured not for their meat but for a cruel practice in which their tails were removed and used as dusters. These monkeys are native to Brazil and Peru and naturally live in male-female pairs. Since arriving at RAREC, Luna has been waiting for a suitable mate before she can be considered for release. However, finding another monk saki in captivity has been challenging due to their rarity.

Luna is a highly sensitive animal and can easily fall ill if hygiene and biological safety protocols are not strictly followed. She has also developed a notable dislike for women, although this tends to improve with prolonged exposure. In contrast, she is generally calm around men. Her emotions are easy to read, when upset or stressed, she attempts to break through her enclosure mesh and pull at the gates. Another one of her signature behaviors is sticking out her tongue.

Luna is extremely particular about her diet. She prefers seeds and insects and refuses to eat anything that has touched the ground or has mud on it. She dislikes dog chow, avoids ripe fruit in favor of slightly green ones, and won’t eat chicken at all. Her absolute favorite foods are pistachios and almonds. Due to her unique dietary needs, she receives a carefully balanced diet supplemented to ensure proper digestion and nutrition.

As an arboreal species, Luna rarely descends to the ground, so her food must always be placed high up in her enclosure. Since monk sakis do not survive alone in the wild, we continue to search for a male companion to pair with Luna in the hopes that she may one day be released.