Monkeying about in the monsoon

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In my first blog post I laid out my detailed plan of my time in India. Yoga this, drama that...plans plans plans. Ironically, 10 months after arriving in India I have yet to quote from shakespeare, and my lotus pose is slowly degenerating into more of a struggling weed pose. At the end of that first blog post I said that I needed to 'expect the unexpected' and be willing to let India change my plans for me. Writing this post from a secluded location in Goa called 'the tree house', and sharing my space with 30 rescued monkeys, 14 extremely vocal cats, 6 adopted dogs, and dozens upon dozens of amphibian friends that love to test their vocal chords (and my patience) well into the night! So I can safely say that India definately changed my plans from last Novemember, and I can also say with no regrets that I am so glad it made those changes for me as I am having the time of my life here at the monkey sanctuary.

"Why monkeys?", "What made you want to work with animals?" Questions I have heard over and over again since arriving. And to be honest, each time I try and answer these questions I end up questioning myself and my reasons for coming more and more. But then thats the beauty of living life spontaneously. I have never been one for holding onto something for too long. Impatient, over zealous attitude towards new experiences, fear of missing out on something. All these attributes of mine, whether good or bad, have lead me to experience many things, but not having a lasting interest...itchy feet syndrome?! Someone once shared a quote with me that they felt summed me up perfectly; 'Interested in everything, committed to nothing'. So without boring people and reeling off 50 reasons for each answer, I just smile and say "I've no idea, but im absolutely loving it!".

So although working at the monkey sanctuary, voluntarily getting up at 6am to clean monkey poo and dodge 'rain clouds' from my furry friends sitting above my head playing target practice, is a little random to say the least, it doesn't really surprise me that I am here doing it. When I get a feeling, like I did when I saw that monkey holding a gun (plastic of course) to entertain the crowds in Bihar, or when I witnessed baby monkeys chained and being hit with sticks in Varanasi, I have to act on it. Whether it is the logical thing to do, or effects my plans at the time of doing it, I just know I have to follow my gut instincts and go where the feeling is taking me...and its taken me to Goa, my home for the last 4 months, and quite possibly my home for the foreseable future.

Philosophical talk and whimsical anecdotes aside, I'd like to share with you ('you' hopefully being more than just my dear parents, although i'm extremely grateful for your support mum and dad, but i'd love it if there were some other people reading this as well as just you) a brief outline about the sanctuary and what goes on here. In future blogs I will share some of my expriences so far and introduce the monkeys that we have, each one a complete individual and wonderfully unique in their behaviour and mannerisms. From the playful, cheeky and mischievous baldrick (yes, named after the blackadder character), to the mafia 'come near and I will kill you' style boss that is snatch (no, not named after the drug and alcohol inspired movie, but for his love of all things edible).

So the monkey sanctuary was set up about 8 years ago I think (a lot of vague 'I thinks' to come) by John and Jo, a couple from the UK that founded an animal sanctuary her in Goa a couple of years before the monkey sanctuary (I think). The animal centre is primarily there to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs and cats, of which there are hundreds upon hundreds of sick and suffering animals in Goa that need the help the centre give them. They have now branched out and deal with any (I think) calls of help that come their way, from injured cows and buffalos, to birds of prey and those slithery reptiles that we all adore! They currently house over 100 dogs and around 50 cats at the centre, treating the injured and then re-releasing or adopting them out to the people of Goa. The monkey sanctuary is located at the house of John and Jo. Once a prize winning garden, best in Goa certificate proudly framed as proof, now a congregation of 10 cages housing about 30 rescued monkeys of varying shapes and sizes...and temperaments! They have all been brought in with different stories and backgrounds; whether being used to entertain on the beaches and beg for money, or being kept as pets in cages so small they can hardly turn around. Many of these monkeys come to the sanctuary with physical problems and have to be operated on and kept under close observation. A recent example was Katrina, a 16 year old (pensioner area for monkeys) rhesus macaque that had been kept in a tiny cage all of her life. Because of this she had lost the use of her legs and could hardly walk when she arrived. She was unable to walk up the steps at the sanctuary and had to be looked after by John on a one to one basis for weeks. With regular exercise and a 'don't try to run before you can walk' approach she improved greatly, and although walking with a Hugh Laurie 'Dr House' style limp she now runs, jumps and even swims in the pool! I call her skippy as she will bounce like a kangaroo on anything that can be used as a 'trampoline'. Away from the physical challenges to the monkeys, a lot of them also have to deal with mental instability. Through beatings from previous owners, or limited enrichment resulting in 'laboratory' style boredom (monkeys need the same sort of attention for their brains to develop naturally that us as humans require when growing up). The difficult lives that they have come from can result in some extremely bizarre behavioural issues. Some monkeys pace in their cage, even now they have so much more space. Others grab onto their own limbs and pretend to bite as that was the only thing they could do to keep themselves occupied when in solitary confienement before. Other taits and behavioural patterns are seen in the monkeys, and at the sanctuary they attempt to occupy the minds of the monkeys so that their attention can be kept throughout the day. One of our monkeys with the most troublesome background, and a resulting problem with her mental health is Ruby. She was kept as a pet, and most probably used for begging. She had been taught to sit and rock her body whilst grimacing in order to 'entertain' people. How this was 'taught' to her is not known, but to look at her and see the issues she faces can only lead you to an unwelcoming speculation on her life before coming to the sanctuary. She struggles to understand the behavioural and social patterns of a monkey and becua of this other monkeys in her cage can't quite figure her out and are very weary of her. She paces almost constantly in a figure of eight in the cage and will sit and rock with her tail wrapped round her body many a time throughout the day. But even with instabilities of this extent, she has shown good signs of improvment and her understanding of appropriate 'monkey behaviour' is slowly heading in the right direction. She loves to come out of the cage every day to groom her handler and has even begun to apply this technique to any willing monkeys in her cage.

I will go into more detail at another time, when my brain is still functioning on a 'type and tell' wavelength. It is now 7.30pm here, and in a very apologetically old man way I am shattered! Just another typical day here, up at 5.30am and ready to collapse by 8pm. If ive got no stamina at 27 what am I going to be like in a few years?! Shocking I know! But just as I always say, if you wake up and look forward to your working day then you should be counting your blessings. And I can gladly say that even In the darkness of an Indian rain-filled morning at 5.30am with what I guess is a fathers 'hold your nose and pretend its something else' nappy changing head on, I am still counting those blessings - good times!

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