Monkey News Archives
Adopting an Emperor Tamarin
December 21, 2006 by Kevin D. Hendricks
To celebrate the holiday season Monkey Outta Nowhere adopted an Emperor Tamarin from the nearby Como Zoo. The zoo has seven tamarins in the primate exhibit and we opted to support the smallest of the monkeys for its Seuss-like qualities. It's always been one of our favorites.
And why support a monkey at all? Como Zoo is a top-notch urban zoo that's a great low-cost attraction for families (donations are suggested, but not required). That's a cause worth supporting.
We hope you and your family--and the tamarin's--have a happy holiday.
Drunk Monkeys
May 11, 2006 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Drunk monkeys, it seems, are a lot like drunk people. They drink more when they're alone, they like to drink after a hard day's work and they'll often drink until they fall asleep. You can't make this stuff up. Apparently you need a team of researchers at the National Institutes of Health Animal Center in Maryland working to find primate parrallels to human alcoholism in order to treat symptoms of relapse. Or they just wanted to see monkeys get smashed.
Chimp Tops Warhol
June 27, 2005 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Paintings by a chimpanzee named Congo sold for more than $25,000 at auction earlier this month, while works by Andy Warhol and Renoir attracted so little attention they had to be withdrawn. The artworks were created by Congo in the late 1950s at the London Zoo. Pablo Picasso owned one of Congo's works and Salvidor Dali liked the chimp so much he proclaimed, "The hand of the chimpanzee is quasihuman; the hand of Jackson Pollock is totally animal!" (link via Jeremy)
SWAT Monkey
April 21, 2005 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A Mesa, Ariz. police veteran has proposed training a capuchin monkey for high-risk police operations. The SWAT team monkey could unlock doors and search buildings on command, keeping SWAT personnel out of harm's way. A federal grant would pay for a pilot program to train the monkey, though the idea is still in the proposal stage and hasn't been cleared by the Mesa police department's executive ranks.
Name That Monkey
February 8, 2005 by Kevin D. Hendricks
The Wildlife Conservation Society is auctioning off the chance to name a new species of monkey. The new monkey was discoverd in Madidi National Park in Bolivia in 2000. The auction will begin Feb. 24 at charityfolks.com.
Update: Those naming rights went for $650,000 to an anonymous buyer who outbid Ellen DeGeneres. The new name has not yet been decided on.
New Species of Monkey Found
January 4, 2005 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey in the Himalayas. The stocky, short-tailed, brown-haired creatures have been named Macaca munzala. While the monkeys were new to scientists, locals were familiar with the animals and called them "mun zala" or deep forest monkeys.
Monkey Portraiture
August 25, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Just when you thought real hobbies were dead and gone, along comes an exhibit of monkey portraiture.
It's actually pretty amazing work, done by photographer Jill Greenberg (don't recognize the name? poke around her site and you'll recognize images from magazine covers and ads), and will be on display at the Paul Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles from October 23 to December 11, 2004. (link via kottke.org)
Gorilla Uses Sign Language to Call for Dentist
August 9, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
When 300-pound gorilla Koko had a toothache, she asked for a dentist. Koko is famous for mastering more than 1,000 American Sign Language signs. She made the sign for pain and pointed to her mouth. Dentists and veterinarians were dispatched to extract a tooth.
Walk On
July 23, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A monkey in an Israeli zoo has started walking exclusively on its hindlegs after nearly being killed by a stomach virus. Monkeys usually alternate between walking on all fours and walking upright, but this monkey is walking upright all the time, like a human. So far the only explanation zoo officials have is brain damage, though the monkey has otherwise returned to normal.
Monkey Mayhem
June 30, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
When the zoo says don't pound on the glass, they mean it. And now they're giving chimps a way to fight back. Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo opened a new habitat for apes that lets chimpanzees touch a panel and shoot harmless blasts of air at unsuspecting visitors.
The new feature should help people and primates interact in a safe way. Though Chicago's not the first place to let monkeys fight back. The Los Angeles Zoo lets apes pull on ropes to ring bells or spray water at visitors. Now who's being watched?
Gorilla in Their Midst
June 24, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A 286-pound gorilla escaped from his cage in the Berlin zoo on Tuesday, causing momentary panic. The eight-year-old silverback gorilla either climbed or leaped the 15-foot plate glass walls of his enclosure and began to stroll around the zoo grounds.
"He just stood and scratched himself. He looked awesome but not fierce," Berlin zoo visitor Husam Shawabakeh said.
"Gorillas are gentle but very powerful," Zoo boss Heiner Kloes added. "He could have hurt someone badly."
Zoo keepers caught the gorilla and led him back to his cage before anyone was hurt. This is the second time in the last few months a gorilla has escaped, though the last time three people were attacked and the gorilla was shot to death by police.
Back to School
June 18, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
An injured monkey paid a visit to a Hong Kong high school yesterday, disrupting students and leading officials on a three-hour chase before escaping into the wild. A teacher spotted the macaque in the hallway, presumably late for class. It isn't clear how the monkey was injured or where it came from, though "Monkey Mountain" is nearby, home to Hong Kong's roughly 1,450 wild monkeys.
Man Fined for Shooting Monkey
June 4, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
If you're a monkey, don't play in Travis Allen Ballard's South African garden. Ballard shot a vervet monkey with a pellet gun, and according to witnesses, continued to take potshots at other monkeys who were trying to assist the injured animal. Ballard was later fined $465 and the injured monkey was euthanased. The deregulation of pellet guns has resulted in a spree of animal shootings.
Monkey on the Mayor's Back
May 25, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Have you seen a monkey on Saint Paul Mayor Randy Kelly's back? During a recent trip to Thailand a monkey jumped onto to the mayor's back during a tour of a Cambodian monastery. Kelly had asked reporters not to photograph the incident, though rumor is someone has a 'monkey on Kelly's back' screensaver. We can only hope it will eventually pop up on the Internet.
Monkeying Around
May 11, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
What's better than monkey games when you're looking to kill an afternoon? Check out these addictive flash games:
- Monkey Lander - You can never get enough monkeys in space. Help the monkey nab prizes and land his spacecraft without hitting anything.
- Monkey Snowfight - A two player game where you lob snowballs at one another. Choose the size, angle, and velocity of your throws.
Act Like a Monkey
April 14, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
The Zoological Society of London is looking for volunteers to act like chimps. It's part of a study comparing human and chimpanzee behaviors. The basic idea is that chimpanzee are most closely related to humans, so the study hopes to discover how their expressions and behaviors might be helpful to humans. Apparently grunting noises and dominence displays can bring harmony to the workplace. Understandably, not everyone is impressed.
Adopt a Monkey
March 25, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Now the Hunger Site is helping more than people. You can adopt your very own red howler monkey to make sure it's fed and cared for while being taught to survive in the wild.
Don't Taunt the Gorilla
March 23, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A gorilla escaped from his exhibit last week at the Dallas Zoo and attacked three people before being shot to death by police. Now zoo officials say two teen boys were seen throwing rocks or ice at the gorilla shortly before he escaped. They speculate the taunting may have made the gorilla angry enough to find a way past 12 to 16 foot walls, moats, and electrified wires. The lesson here: don't perturb a primate.
New York Man's Pet Monkeys Evicted
March 17, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
New York City animal control officer removed six monkeys and a tarantula from a two-bedroom Manhattan apartment last week. Neighbors had complained about the noise and city statutes forbid exotic pets. The monkeys are currently being held at an animal shelter until a permanent home can be found. Their owner, Orlando Lopez, was distraught, vowing to move out of the city along with his cat, dogs, and fish in order to keep the monkeys.
Stuffed Monkey Returns from the Frontlines
March 5, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A stuffed monkey from an Ohio elementary school recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The monkey, named Nana, traveled to Afghanistan last year with other goods for the U.S. troops. Nana spent almost a year with the 71st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, accompanying them on missions and even jumping out of a plane at 3,000 feet. Lt. Col. Randy McCasland said Nana became a welcome stress reliever for the troops. The monkey returned with pictures and a journal, proving once and for all that monkeys can do more than star in commercials and be the pets of arch villains.
It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Ear
February 17, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
A Calcutta policeman lost an ear during an encounter with a menacing monkey last week. Rathin Thakur noticed a number of monkeys on rooftops and trees while walking to work. Not having seen monkeys in his neighborhood before, Thakur gestured to the monkeys. One of them jumped down playfully, but then stole Thakur's glasses. While trying to reclaim his glasses, the monkey jumped on to Thakur's shoulder and became violent, biting off his left ear. Neighbors helped Thakur to the hospital where he underwent reconstructive surgery. Even though they ride around on unicycles and wear funny little hats, monkeys can be quite dangerous when agitated.
"It's Me or the Monkey."
February 17, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
The marriage of German pop star Werner Boehm is in shambles after he moved a monkey into his home. The 10-year-old female baboon can reportedly play the piano and appeared in one of Boehm's videos. His wife, Susanne, moved out after he allowed the monkey to share their bed. She made him choose between the monkey or her, and he chose the monkey. "It's incredibly painful to know that some baboon is more important to him than I am," she said. It's all part of an important lesson -- never underestimate a monkey.
Sneaky Monkey Outwits Scientist
February 3, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Anthropologist Scott McGraw declared the red colobus monkey extinct in 2000, but new findings suggest otherwise. Reportedly last seen in 1978, evidence of the red colobus has turned up, including a photograph of a dead one, the tail of a red colobus, and the skin of one killed by a hunter. On hearing the news McGraw reportedly exclaimed, "Monkey outta nowhere!"
Killer Monkey Gets Second Chance
February 3, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
After mauling an infant to death and attacking several people, New Delhi residents captured one difficult monkey. The animal will be sent to the city's Monkey Rescue Center which handles nuisance primates.
We're all for monkey rehabilitation, but what about New Delhi residents who will shudder at the cry, "Monkey outta nowhere!"? Do killer monkeys really deserve a second chance?
Real-life Monkey Outta Nowhere
January 30, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Zookeepers at the Como Zoo in St. Paul were shocked to find a baby white-faced Saki Monkey clinging to its mother, whom the zookeepers didn't even know was pregnant. Now that's a monkey outta nowhere.
Risky But Ingenious Ventures
January 22, 2004 by Kevin D. Hendricks
Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year, and the Year of the Monkey, according to Chinese tradition. Predictions for the Year of the Monkey include "success even in impossible ventures," "inventions and improvisations galore," and even if we don't try "we will be carried forward by the surging tide of the Monkey's natural talent for learning and advancement." Tradition also says the Monkey will "urge us to gamble, speculate and embark on risky but ingenious ventures." It's interesting to note that the American Revolution began in 1776, the year of the Fire Monkey.