A primate now living at the Cleveland Armory Black Beauty Ranch led a Huffington Post article about the Captive Primate Safety Act before Congress.
For 29 years, Jonas was denied a decent existence. This rhesus macaque was born into the captive wildlife trade here in the United States and was passed around from owner to owner. Instead of swinging from trees in the forests of Asia where rhesus monkeys are native, he was confined to a backyard with a stiff leather collar and chain. He likely never met another macaque or primate, had no opportunity to engage in a normal primate life, and had no companions other than feral cats who would occasionally wander into the yard.
This month, Jonas found a pathway out of his life as a backyard pet. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries- which has been doing a great job tackling the problem of the exotic pet trade — was able to convince his owner to release him to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch. The ranch is operated by our affiliate, The Fund for Animals, in Murchison, Texas.