A Bittersweet Symphony ♪

Like humans, who are sometimes incompatibile together as a unit. I find that owl monkeys can also be incompatibile as a unit. The latest pairing will most likely be separated next week. Spruce is most likely going back in with Connie, and Gustavo is most likely going to pair with Lilac. Everyone is too stressed as is. I doubt Connie & Spruce will ever breed, but he won't breed with Lilac either if he is so "unhappy."

Lilac & Spruce, a few days after pairing, before sunset.
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Urine collection was unsuccessful this week. No one wanted to pee. It's like they went on strike. Almost as if saying: "No! Just because I'm a monkey and your holding a marshmallow DOES NOT mean you can manipulate me into peeing in a bowl for you!" Me:  -__-

Yesterday I think Violet deliberately urinated outside her enclosure just to spite me. How she managed that one, is over my head. Whoever says animals don't have a mind of their own, has very obviously never met a primate.

The festival is this Saturday! Get excited! FIU has also taken an interest in the research at the Conservancy, which is fantastic. I say the more exposure for our partnership, the better. We do fantastic things, and I'm pleased the university I've spent the last 5 years of my life at agrees. On that note, my thanks go out to Dr. Furton and Dr.Makemson who seem to both have forwarded & gotten my e-mails into the right hands & Evelyn Perez for a fantastic article. It's my deep hope that the link between FIU and the Conservancy will only grow stronger as the years progress.

http://news.fiu.edu/2012/02/research-with-monkeys-may-yield-solutions-to-conservation-issues/35523

A bittersweet week indeed, but here's to the future and to looking forwards and never behind.