Julia and Mistletoe, the rescued monkeys taken in by the Nashville Zoo. Photo: courtesy of the Nashville Zoo
The Nashville Zoo provided a home to two Mexican spider monkeys that had been illegally captured in the wild and sold into the pet trade.
Why it matters: Spider monkeys struggle to survive in the wild once they are held in captivity. Placement at the zoo provides a safe and humane home for the rescued animals.
The big picture: Mexican spider monkeys are heavily trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the illegal pet trade. But zoo experts say they are not suitable as pets due to their reliance on constant interaction with a large group.
Driving the news: The Nashville Zoo partners with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Wildlife Confiscation Network to house rescued animals, like the spider monkeys, who are victims of wildlife theft.
The zoo's latest additions are Mistletoe and Julia. They were taken at extremely young ages, as Mistletoe is about 18 months and Julia is 2 years old.
The monkeys arrived safely at the zoo in January. Zoo staffers carefully introduced the young monkeys to their existing troop since then.
State of play: The duo can be seen along the Bamboo Trail in the spider monkey exhibit.
