Morwella arrived at The Monkey Sanctuary in March 2012.

We had been contacted and made aware of her existence a few years earlier, but it wasn’t until the passing of her elderly cage neighbour and presumed father, Fudge, that the Sanctuary was asked to give her a permanent home with other monkeys.

Morwella spent around 25 years as a pet, but is now enjoying life with her new monkey friends. She has settled into our weeper capuchin group extremely well and it is Morwella who is always quick to initiate and show solidarity with them – often against her carers!

Prior to her arrival, we had been made aware that Morwella may be suffering from some serious health issues. Thankfully, during her initial veterinary check, our worst fears could be eliminated. However, she does have some benign mammary tumours, mild arthritis and she showed a deficiency in vitamin D3. Her patchy fur indicates that she may have had a tendency to pluck out her own hair in the past – a common symptom of extreme boredom and stress within pet monkeys.

Within a month of Morwella’s arrival, she had made friends with the alpha male in our weeper capuchin group, enabling her to gain significant respect. Morwella then went on to completely turn the head of Mr Monkey, who could hardly take his eyes off her!

The introductions with Chanel were a bit bumpier, but showed Morwella’s heartiest attempts to make friends at any cost, and her ability to adapt her behaviour according to the monkey she was meeting.

She is now a permanent and vital member of the group, rising up the political rankings to become the alpha female. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, we have discovered her to be in possession of a truly wild spirit – despite her long life as a pet.