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Name: Tam

Species: Capuchin (Sapajus spp)

Who is he? The Excitable Chap

Special skills: Being really friendly when he has got himself into trouble!

Adopt Tam

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Adopting

Adopting a monkey with Wild Futures really is a gift with a difference. Whether it’s a gift for yourself or another, you will be supporting the vital work of our charity and enabling us to protect primates and their habitats worldwide. The monkeys featured in the symbolic adoption scheme reside at Wild Futures’ The Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall, UK, where they all have a home for life. Adopters become part of a proud, extended family of supporters who are a part of each individual’s lives through visits, updates and photos. We are committed to giving the monkeys we have rescued the most natural life possible, amongst company of their own kind in species specific territories. The generous contributions from adopters help us to help them recover from the mental and physical trauma they have suffered in their former lives as someone’s pet, and simply learn how to just be a monkey. Each monkey is unique with their own stories and personalities, so please do spend some time reading through their profiles.

International adoption packs will be sent digitally, direct to your inbox. If you would like a physical pack, please email [email protected] to discuss options.

As an adopter, you will receive:

  • A personalised certificate of your adoption
  • A photo of your adopted monkey
  • Your adopted monkey’s story
  • Species factsheet
  • Wild Futures newsletters twice a year (sent digitally or physically)
  • Discounted entry fee into The Monkey Sanctuary
  • A cuddly monkey toy (optional and for physical packs only)

About Tam

Name: Tam

Species: Capuchin (Sapajus spp)

Who is he? The Excitable Chap

Special skills: Being really friendly when he has got himself into trouble!

Tam was born in 1996 and was sold into the pet trade, along with his brother, when he was still an infant.  Sadly, Tam’s brother died some years ago and he was left living on his own. His owners decided that he would be better placed in a sanctuary with others of his own kind, and so he made the long move from Scotland to Cornwall.


On arrival at The Monkey Sanctuary, every monkey receives a thorough health check at the vets. Tam’s check-up showed signs of second degree frostbite on his toes, due to him spending a lot of time out in the cold, and he was underweight with poor muscle development due to lack of exercise. Tam’s first month was spent in quarantine, until his medical test results came back clear. This also gave him the chance to get used to the many sights and sounds of his new home and his noisy capuchin neighbours!


Tam is an energetic monkey and enjoys having access to the large, natural enclosures at the Sanctuary, where his curious and friendly nature made it relatively straight forward for him to build up lots of trust in his carers. He has settled into a stable group and has established strong bonds with other monkeys. Tam loves to play with anyone willing, but also enjoys having some quieter moments in his favourite sunbathing spots too. Tam is often easily recognisable to visitors for his friendly nature and beautiful golden coat. 


Primates are intelligent and sociable animals and being kept as pets is a lonely, under-stimulating existence that can lead to abnormal behaviours. These behaviours may remain with the monkeys for the rest of their lives. But with enough environmental stimulation, social company, and lots of space with access to branches and trees, we can help these monkeys recover and offer them a stable, stimulating, and social life at the Sanctuary.


Adopting Tam means that you are helping to provide the resources needed to give Tam the best life possible. Your adoption also enables Wild Futures to continue its vital work campaigning for an end to the primate pet trade in the UK and abroad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Our adoptions are purely symbolic, which means you will not receive any real animals in the post! Monkeys are wild animals – not domesticated pets.

The need for rescue and rehabilitation of primates from private ownership:

  • There are at least 5,000 privately owned primates in the UK
  • All monkeys are wild animals and inherently unsuitable for keeping in domestic situations.
  • UK law allows for the legal keeping of primates as pets, despite lack of recognised care standards and insufficient enforcement of licensing laws, leading to many pet primates being kept in inadequate conditions.
  • Lack of adequate species knowledge, diet, veterinary care, social opportunity and space leads to mental, physical and emotional suffering for pet primates.

How our sanctuary meets their needs:

  • We guarantee a home for life for all rescued monkeys.
  • We give individuals the opportunity to socialise and form natural bonds with other monkeys.
  • We provide an expert team of carers with the relevant skills to meet the complex physical, social and emotional needs of each individual.
  • We have a high carer-to-monkey ratio which ensures that all needs are met, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our charity receives no government funding, so financial support is vital to allow us to continue our important work.

By purchasing a symbolic monkey adoption, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.