Nashville Zoo has welcomed three infant Mexican spider monkeys rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade. Click for More News
The monkeys — one male and two females named Miso, Matcha and Mei — are each just under two months old. They were confiscated by law enforcement, transferred to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and later placed at Nashville Zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wildlife Confiscations Network.
Because the monkeys are still so young, Nashville Zoo’s veterinary team will care for them at the HCA Healthcare Veterinary Hospital for the next several months before they are old enough to be introduced to the Zoo’s spider monkey troop. Guests can currently see the infants through the nursery windows during regular Zoo hours.
“Nashville Zoo is here to educate the public about the plight of these vulnerable animals, and the impacts humans have on their survivability,” said Dr. Heather Schwartz, director of animal health at Nashville Zoo in a release.
The Zoo previously welcomed two confiscated Mexican spider monkeys, Mistletoe and Julia, earlier this year, bringing the total number of rescued spider monkeys now living at Nashville Zoo to five.
Mexican spider monkeys are frequently trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border because of demand in the illegal pet trade. Infants are often taken from the wild after their mothers are killed by poachers and may be smuggled across borders in vehicles, bags or crates.
The Wildlife Confiscations Network, launched in 2023 in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, works to place confiscated wildlife in accredited facilities equipped to meet their physical, social and behavioral needs. The network has helped place nearly 100 rescued spider monkeys.
Zoo officials stress that spider monkeys are not suitable pets because of their highly complex social and behavioral needs. Without proper care and interaction with other monkeys, they can develop severe anxiety, aggression and other behavioral problems.
Mexican spider monkeys are an endangered subspecies of Geoffroy’s spider monkey and are native to parts of Mexico and Central America. Habitat loss and the illegal pet trade remain among the biggest threats to their survival.
Nashville Zoo also supports spider monkey and wildlife conservation through its Wild Works program and partnerships with organizations including the Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center, which rehabilitates animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade.
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