It is wonderful that Darby will soon have a foster mother...Darby seems very content, as if this is a completely natural development.

I remember Gimley. He was so traumatized when he first arrived as a baby. I am so happy to see how well he has done! You folks are amazing ❤

@julieprior3126

5 күн бұрын

Yes! Just look at him now! I found his arrival and rehab one of the most moving videos on here. VMF staff were so patient and loving to that poor, closed off little creature but to watch him now you'd never believe it. He stole my heart! This Litchie/Darby story is lovely. She is remarkable and he's gaining confidence by the minute.

@LaurieLT88

4 күн бұрын

​@@julieprior3126he is so big now!

Good to see Derby having a great chance of happiness in a troupe especially as he is a bit older. Hope his arm grows well ❤❤

While I understand that I'm only seeing the information presented in videos, I feel confidant that my admiration is well placed. Being recognized by GFAS and promoting veganism, in addition to the amazing follow through with the health of the animals, is stellar. I've worked with animals wearing many hats -- in Mexico, Spain, Qatar and the USA. I wish I was much younger, as I'd be there in a heartbeat. This is the only organization that I've ever donated to monthly .

@mark.fergus

5 күн бұрын

Thank you Nancy! Don't forgot, also the first sanctuary in Africa to be accredited by both GFAS and PASA, and the 2023 GFAS Outstanding Wildlife Sanctuary Award winners 😉... I can assure you that the videos only show a fraction of the hard work, dedication, and care that goes on behind the scenes as well. From the directors, to the local team, to the volunteers, it's a real team effort from everyone. Blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people and animals on a daily basis!

@almondhastings

5 күн бұрын

Know that the majority of your viewers are aware that you are the experts and that you follow the veterinarian's instructions when there's injury. Just ignore the comments from people that are obviously looking for some way to be negative in order to get attention. Just ignore them. The rest of us are grateful Dave, the staff, and the volunteers are working so hard to provide for these monkeys in need.

Little Darby is a bit unique in the way of always jumping on mom's back constantly, I can see how that might get him into a little trouble with mom, or with one of the other troop members! Calm down little Darby! ❤🐒 Wonderful video everyone! 👍

@mark.fergus

6 күн бұрын

Thankfully vervet mums are very patient with their foster-babies, especially Litchie, great mama!

Great to see Gimli! So glad Darby has a mom.

Cute little Darby! And Gimli, he was so sad, so traumatized! You guys saved him and now he's grown and happy!😊

Thank you! Love little Darby!

Wow! I haven't been around in a while. Gimli looks absolutely amazing! What a handsome young male. Y'all truly preform miracles. ❤❤

Thank you for all you do!

Rexi was hilariously protective. He had ahold of Mark's hair and was really fighting the best he could. He doesn't realize he's tiny but he is mighty. That was sweet.

Especially good episode: great to see the process by which a new inhabitant of a troop is acclimated to the new surroundings. So much to think about!

GIMLI! How great to see you again! It looks to me as if you're having a great life, and you certainly deserve it after all the things you've been through. Sending kisses, Carolyn in Charlottesville.

The video says it was uploaded 3 hours ago yet there are comments from almost a day ago, is this a glitch on my end? Lol Probably. Anyway, love the work you guys do for the cutest creatures in the world! 🥰

@VervetMonkey

5 күн бұрын

its uploaded for members a day earlier

Not sure that putting all monkeys with damage, or disability together to form a troop is necessarily giving them , overall, the closest thing to normal quality of life, or as close as possible to as normal a life in the wild, simply to make it convenient for the stadff to monitor. Primates dont exhibit behaviors that dhow us that they identify their own disabilities or exhibit any ability to accept others with issues by thinking along the lines that they are more accepting of another monkey with damage or disability because they also have damage or disability. Some primates will exhibit mechanisms of caring, aiding, protecting individuals with problems based on social aspects of a troop, and it may well be that the whole foster program itself fosters acceptance of a member with a disability, although in the wild a disability is not necessarily something that blocks a monkey from being part of a troop, as long as other aspects of life in a troop are things they can manage, or find ways to make adjustments too. For example, your monkey who is a bilateral amputee is accepted and allowed to live in the troop because that monkey has proven it an take care of itself, manage to negotiate the troops social heirarchy, is not holding the troop back or causing issues for the troop, and so forth. That monkey is doing well because of what it does for itself and how it manages on its own, not because the troop feels sorry for it or sees itself as a group of monkeys that should provide for those with damage or disability. In studies of primate groups in the wild, in fact, troops have actually proven to become less tolerant of the elderly, the sick, acutely injured and the disabled the higher those numbers climb. It makes sense when you stop and think and realize how a few individuals that fall in those categories can be absorbed into a larger number of healthy individuals and the issues their problems may cause are essentially watered down and less of a problem for the troop as long as they cope socially. In a sanctuary situation where food is not an issue, where they are protected from predators so their own protectors are not overworked and stressed out, where they dont have to increase their own numbers through the more risky challenges of pregnancy and stress of protecting newborns and so on, a few members with disabilities are not going to impact a troop in such a way that a troop would want to exile or do away with that individual as long as they are not a negative social influence. Designation of a troop yo receive more and more members with doecial needs, and/or disabilities is creating a troop that is going to be living far from anything that would be normal in the wild, and therefore is not giving the monkeys in that troop the same benefit given the other troops of a life as close to wild ad possible. You wont find troops in the wild where there are a high number of members with issues, even if some genetic abnormality starts breeding true. That troop many function with its issue(s) for some generations but eventually will disappear or breed out the genetic issue as it cannot go on forever with a majority having problems. While it may seem that making it easier for staff to monitor individuals with issues to meet their needs by keeping them all together and in a convenient location, its taking away from both healthy individuals as well as disabled ones a life that closer approximates what a real life in the wild would be, especially when the troop is small to start with so that the social aspects for the healthy members are disrupted as more and more members are added that cant perform normally.

@VervetMonkey

6 күн бұрын

Sometimes I wish you had some idea of what you're actually talking about instead of droning on about nonsense.

@mark.fergus

6 күн бұрын

This troop is not specifically designated to receive monkeys with just special, or "doecial", needs. Darby is now a perfectly fit and healthy monkey and has made a full recovery from his injury. The reason for using this troop was more to do with the fact that he had a longer recovery period and was therefore ready to meet foster-mums at that specific time when we decided to use this troop. There is only maybe one monkey who has long-term disabilities, but they are minor and he is still still very much a "normally behaving" monkey. You are likely misunderstanding the significance of the injuries or disabilities, as this really doesn't affect the troop's social dynamics at all. If the monkey is able to look after themselves, that's all that really matters, the other monkeys won't be affected by it or change their behaviour to accommodate it. Those who are unable to join full troops, i.e. not able to look after themselves due to significant mental or physical impairment, will be integrated with a group who have similar special requirements, such as the blind monkeys.

@gabriellaalvarado616

5 күн бұрын

It's both baffling and concerning how little research people do before taking a hard stance on something. We gloat about how evolved as a species we are yet common sense is not only not common, it seems to be a rarity.

@vshewett4333

5 күн бұрын

@rentechpad I suspect you know just enough about everything to be annoying to everyone. I've been watching VMF since their first season & I believe they know what they are doing!🐒

@korrinschilling9909

5 күн бұрын

No offense but....that was word salad. They've been doing this for awhile, and time always tells. The monkeys are doing just fine.