This is an undated handout photo
issued Monday July 19, 2010 by the Zoological
Society of London (ZSL) of a Horton Plains slender
loris, sitting on a forest branch in a mountain
forest in central Sri Lanka.
Researchers say they photographed the
rare primate thought to have been extinct for more
than 60 years in a forest in central Sri Lanka.
The Zoological Society of London said
in a statement on Monday that a Horton Plains
slender loris with wide eyes and short limbs has
been caught on camera by ZSL and Sri Lankan
researchers after they surveyed forest patches for
more than 200 hours, looking for signs of the
primate.
(AP Photo/Zoological Society of
London/Ho)
Check Out New
Entries in
our Letters from the Field Blog
What the heck happened to this monkey's nose?
Absolutely nothing. He's a proboscis monkey and he's
endangered. You may never have seen one because they
typically can't survive in zoos. Our newest blogger,
Danica Stark, writes two blogs from Borneo about
these quirky-looking, big nosed,
pot bellied monkeys. Check out her blogs to find out about
where and
how they live, why they can't survive in
captivity, and
why they are endangered.
In her latest entry,
Piping Plover,
Kaitlyn-Elizabeth Foley writes during her vacation
at home in Rhode Island
about this beautiful and endangered little local
bird and how to protect it. Continue to watch
Kaitlyn's blog when she returns to Malaysia later in
July and reports on more wildlife there.
William O'Neill contributes his experiences working
at a
sanctuary for
orphaned orangutans in Borneo. You'll meet
Gus, his unruly charge,
Aman, a
mighty alpha male,
Doris, the apple of Bill's eye, and a host of other
orangutans living in and around the sanctuary.
Letters From the Field is a blog written by
professionals who are studying or working with
animals in their natural habitats. It is a
compilation of their stories and experiences.
Watch for new contributors who will
write about their experiences with
a variety of
nonhuman primates and other animal species found throughout
the world.
Bookmark the
page and check back often.
Photo Credit: Bjorn Christian
Torrissen
October
4 is World Animal Day
World
Animal Day celebrates humankind's unique
relationship with the animal kingdom, and
acknowledges the numerous ways in which animals
enrich our lives.
World Animal Day is
celebrated around the world by organizations,
groups, clubs, schools, places of worship and
individual animal-loving members of the public. You
don't have to be involved in animal welfare in any
way at all; you just have to care about animals. The
World Animal Day website is full of ideas of
ways you can get involved in World Animal Day.
Join the International
Celebration of Animals,
World Animal Day, October 4, 2010.
The Monkey Bible
COMING in SEPTEMBER 2010
The
Monkey Bible,
a novel by Mark Laxer, is an exploration of the line
— both scientific and mythological — which separates
humans from non-human animals. It is an exploration
of the line which separates science from religion.
It is an exploration of the need in humans for
creation myths, constructive or otherwise, and for
storytelling. It is an exploration of what it means
to be human and an exploration of the hierarchical
nature of our social structures. It is a timely and
necessary plea to slightly alter the stories by
which humans define themselves as a way to protect
life, and in particular the human species, from
extinction.
Here's what we have to say about the book:
"The Monkey Bible weaves a tapestry of fantasy and
reality, truth, myth and science and lures us into a
journey that challenges us to think about who and
what we believe we are. As we join Emmanuel on his
voyage of self-discovery, the line that separates
human and non-human primates blurs. Then, just when
we are most open to encountering any possibilities,
Laxer unfolds before us, via Lucy’s eloquence, the
impact that each of us has on protecting,
maintaining, and preserving the Earth’s fragile
biodiversity for the benefit of our collective
futures. Now, that’s a good story.
Eric
Maring’s The Line is a great companion
music CD too – fun, thought-provoking, good music!"
~ Debra Curtin, President and Founder, New England
Primate Sanctuary
Watch for the book and accompanying music CD,
The Line, coming in later this summer.
How
Could You?
An essay by Jim
Willis,
How Could You, is a companion dog's
perspective on the responsibilities and potential
consequences of pet guardianship. Mr. Willis hopes
to impart to readers the love and care that our pet
companions deserve, and the responsibilities that we
bear to find them fitting homes if our life
circumstances can no longer provide for their care.
It is a beautiful and touching essay about loyalty
and betrayal.
Read on.
Fifteen
Legs
When all that stands between death and freedom is a
ride ...
If
you have not already seen it, be sure to watch the
PBS documentary, Fifteen Legs. If you have
already seen it, watch it again to be reminded of
what a remarkable journey many lucky pets make on
the road to home.
Fifteen Legs is a 2009 CINE Golden Eagle
Award Winner for good reason. This is the story of
animals who have run out of time. It's about the
people who save them at the eleventh hour. It's the
story of where they go next, and how they get there.
This is a remarkable, compelling and inspiring
story. Check the
Fifteen Legs website, or your local PBS
station, for air dates and more information. Or
purchase the DVD at
Amazon.com. You'll be glad you did.
New
for Teachers: New England Primate Sanctuary's Lesson
Plans
New England Primate Sanctuary's
Humane Education Team is delighted to present its
unique lesson plans developed under the auspices of
Education Program Director,
Veronica Ramos.
The curriculum, which includes
lesson plans
for grades K-12, is based on National Standards
and takes into consideration the needs of many
disciplines. Veronica and her team have developed curricula which
are accessible to teachers wishing to implement them
into their classroom programs, as well as the home
schooled.
If you are a teacher, we invite you
to use these lesson plans and provide us with
feedback. For those lesson plans that encourage
story or poetry development by students, we would
love it if you would share their stories and poems
with us. You might just find some of them published
on our website.
If you are a parent or a student, we
invite you to recommend the lesson plans to your
teachers. Unit 1 is now available for K-4 and high
school. Middle school units will be available soon.
At New England
Primate Sanctuary, we are dedicated to
education, the care and protection of animals,
habitat conservation, and ecological balance.
The sanctuary tangibly represents the need for
animal protection. It is their permanent refuge
for safe, more natural lives. New England
Primate Sanctuary is a vehicle for education for
people and a safe haven for animals.
View this and other webisodes about our work, plans,
and the needs for animal sanctuary
here.
Donating
Is Easier Than Ever
Now you can donate online via Network for Good or
PayPal, whichever option you prefer.
With
Network for Good, you can opt to make a one-time
donation, recurring monthly, quarterly, or annually.
You can also make gift donations. In each case, you
select the denomination.
With
PayPal, you can select a one-time donation in the
denomination of your choice or recurring monthly
donations.
Recurring donations enable you meet your annual
giving goal in affordable increments.
Check
out the
Donate
page for more. We are always so very grateful for
your support