Born Free

Category: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre | Date: Sep 22 2009 | By: bornfree

Over the past few weeks there has been a major change to the management of the Reintroduction Program. Andrea Durcik has now left the project and returned back to the States, I would like to wish her well and good luck with all her future endeavours. The project and now appointed myself, Andrea Donaldson and my partner, Keith Thompson in her place. I bring with me 10 years of primate experience, working with wild monkeys in Vietnam, Kenya and Honduras, as well as captive knowledge of rehabilitating ex-pet monkeys. Keith adds many years knowledge of project and business management and between us we make a strong team; that hope to propel the project to the next level.

More importantly, Titans troop have gone from strength to strength. In recent weeks the troop has relocated to a new sleeping site, this is an ideal location and a very good choice on Titans behalf. The new site gives them access to water, a hard commodity to find in the current dry season; a good food supply and incorporates densely leafed trees providing an excellent vantage point for scanning for leopards and hiding the smaller individuals from birds of prey.

Keith and I are slowly getting to know the 10 vervet monkeys and their personality traits; and are loving every minute of it. In the coming weeks and months however, we plan to allow the monkeys to hone their wild skills away from the security of our watchful eyes, giving them a few hours a day of alone time. The time has come to begin planning the next reintroduction of baboons and the first task to complete is to locate an excellent release site.