While most of Goa was desperate for the monsoon to begin so their rice crops would not fail, the monkeys on the other hand were delighted that the month of June was, for the most part, rain free. It gave the monkeys a an extra month of enjoying the sunshine and getting out climbing the canopies instead of hiding under them out of the rain.
A baby Langur was handed over to us as her mother died after being hit by a car. At just a few months old, Nissa still requires 24 hour care. From the first day she arrived, she was very calm, confident and happy and unlike most babies was happy to stay with anyone rather than crying out for her only selected adoptive mother. She accepted to wear nappies, which as you can imagine is a great help when cuddling us at night.
Despite the separation from her mother and this all new life, she is eating very well. It is not rare that after such an emotional shock, babies loose their appetite, letting themselves die.
Adult Bonnet Macaque Monkey, RajaOver the first few days, she was bottle fed and introduced to greens and vegetables, with hibiscus flowers being her favourite. We progressively replaced the milk, which she wasn’t fond of, with a baby-milk-cereal mix. Nissa is always curious about what we are eating and she will often taste items from our plate which she previously left aside which shows how baby monkeys learn from their mothers behaviour.
As well as a baby Langur we also received Raja, a 25 years old Bonnet macaque that had spent his life in a cage which was far too small for him. The forestry department asked if we could offer him a better and bigger place for the last few years he has left to live. Even though space is getting very limited at The Tree House, some space was made available for Raja. As a temporary measure he is staying in the lower section of Nora and Kia’s pen while another pen is being remodelled to house him.
Giant Hornbills in the Banyan Tree
As well as saying hello to new monkeys we were delighted by the visit of two large Hornbill birds which checked out the bird house on our banyan tree. These majestic birds are always spectacular to watch.
Celine and Alessendro have been looking after the Tree House while Jo and John have a well earned break in the UK, and one of their many talents is their videographer skills. They have produced two short videos of the monkeys at play. The clip below really shows how well monkeys can swim and the fun they have at The Tree House.
