See No Evil: the Golden Monkeys of Rwanda

We were in Rwanda in January, 08 to track Mountain Gorillas. While we were at the base camp, we heard that a group of Golden monkeys were currently in the mountains and could be tracked also. We signed up immediately and were pleasantly surprised at how responsive they were to us. The small ones, in particular, repeatedly stopped their games to look at us, as though they wanted to be sure we were catching the action. The two wrestling monkeys you see in the video actually stopped playing at one point and moved about 50 yards away. They stood there and looked at us, waiting for us to regroup and get our cameras up again before they resumed the match. I noticed this behavior in baby seals when we were in the Galapagos. They seem to want human attention and somehow realize that raising a camera means they’re getting that attention. Or maybe it’s all the oohing and aahing over how cute they are.

We were told later that this is the only habituated group of Golden Monkeys in the world. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, they are a subspecies of the Blue Monkey. Although very rare, they do not currently have the endangered species designation. These little guys are much less famous (and therefore, much less supported monetarily) than the Mountain Gorillas. They are so human-like in their interactions - allowing them to become extinct would be a tragedy.
To find out more or to donate, check out:
African Wildlife Fund

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, all of the Animal rescue workers, myself included, advocated for implanting microchips in pets to facilitate the identification process and speed up reunification with their families. I even included footage of a local SPCA-run Microchip clinic in the “Deleted Scenes” section of my Katrina Tails DVD. Because we live in earthquake country (San Francisco), we decided to have one implanted in our Golden Retriever, Phoenix. We were afraid that an earthquake might strike while we were at work and he was home alone. Due to fire danger, it’s possible that we might be blocked by City officials from returning to our home, as people were in New Orleans after Katrina. I’m very sad to report that Phoenix developed mast cell tumors after the microchip implant and succumbed to cancer last December.

We don’t know, of course, that the microchip caused the tumors or the subsequent cancer. After all, many Goldens develop cancer, but pet guardians might want to read a few studies about the incidence of tumors in animals that underwent implants before deciding on a microchip.

Washington Post article
Anti-chip article
Cancer Study
Another opinion

Here’s one that is pro-microchip.

So, if we don’t use microchips, how will our pets be identified if they become separated from us during a disaster? I don’t know the answer. I’ve heard that tattoos in the ear tend to become so distorted as the pet grows, that they become indecipherable. We saw during Katrina, that pets’ collars can snag and be torn off, or even lost/removed by humans during the rescue intake process. What’s left? GPS? It’s expensive, and the monthly fee might make it prohibitive for many people. There’s also the question of whether or not it would still be working in the event of a major earthquake, as well as the danger that the collar containing the GPS might become separated from the pet. 

Here’s a company that makes a GPS system for pets. They’re a great company who was very supportive during the production of my video, Katrina Tails. They use their own technology, GPSTracks, rather than a third-party provider. I haven’t tried the system yet but you might think it’s worth considering. I’ve also included some disaster-preparedness sites in case you’re new to preparing your pet for a disaster.
Global Pet Finder

Pet Preparedness Sites:
Janet Roper, Animal Communicator
FEMA for Kids
FEMA for Adults
HSUS
American Red Cross