ItвЂ™s a daunting memory that continues to inspire me to work harder to prevent other primates from a similar horrendous fate. Still, years later, I remember the two crab-eating macaques that I couldnвЂ™t help. And I try to advocate on primates and other animalsвЂ™ behalf with posts like Are You Accidentally Inflicting Animal Cruelty on Your Vacation? and What You Can Learn About Love From Primates.

I offer primate tours to see gorillas and lemurs which helps protect these incredible species. I volunteer weekly with Japanese macaques and marmosets at a sanctuary in Munich. My heart was breaking but I vowed to help other primates. Related Reading: Golden Monkeys: A Glimpse at one of AfricaвЂ™s Rarest Primates I knew that I couldnвЂ™t help these two crab-eating macaques, who would no doubt be killed (if they survived that long) once they became unruly adolescents. In Palau, crab-eating macaques are considered to be pests. I was on the phone for hours calling the Forestry department, and the animal shelter to report this cruelty. Related Reading: What ItвЂ™s Really Like to Research Lemurs in the Wild The Sad TruthД¬rab-eating macaques are protective mothers and donвЂ™t hand over their babies easily. Both were very likely captured from the wild and taken from their mother who would have been killed. As is the story of the other baby crab-eating macaque who kept nervously pacing his small cage. How the monkey got there though is an altogether different story and a much sadder one. It is an amazing example of interspecies relationships as thee dog cares for the baby monkey as if it was her own.ДЄs I watched these two interact for over an hour, it became clear to me that love has no boundaries. The baby crab-eating macaque likely feels safer with his вЂњmomвЂќ than he does in his cage.

The dog, like any protective mother, protects him from tourists who get too close simply walking off to a quieter place. His affection for her is obvious and equally returned. He sleeps on her back and appears to feel safe when heвЂ™s with her. He shows his appreciation by grooming his new вЂњmomвЂќ. The baby stays put, only hopping off to grab a piece of fruit from a tourist before just as quickly jumping back on. Related Reading: The Real Truth About Love: Primates Share Their Secrets

Just as a monkey would carry her baby around, the dog chauffeurs his вЂњbabyвЂќ around. The monkey impatiently paces, waiting for his cage to be opened so that he can be reunited with his вЂњmom.вЂќ Once out, all it takes is one agile jump to the dogвЂ™s back and there he stays the entire day. The dog eagerly waits, tail wagging, tongue hanging out near the monkeyвЂ™s cage. An ideal example of interspecies relationships. This dog plays the role of surrogate mother to this baby crab-eating macaque at a tour operator in the Micronesian island of Palau.

Baby mokey