2021-12-14

Monkey Day 2021

pygmy marmoset    
When I was en route from Hanahan, SC to Key West Florida with my family during my daddy's Navy change of duty station we stopped at many of the various tourist traps along the way.

One of those was a place called 'Alligator Farm' or something similar and yes, there were many gators, some of which were ginormous.

The thing I left there remembering was a cage full of baby monkeys which were for sale huddled together looking cold and noticing the flea infestation and just how miserable they appeared.

Monkey Day is one of those unofficial international holidays celebrated each December 14.

This holiday was created and popularized in 2000 by Casey Sorrow and Eric Millikin while they were students at Michigan State University pursuing art. I have wondered just what the allure was over the years.

Monkey Day celebrates "all things simian" such as apes, chimps, tarsiers, lemurs, and other non human primates.

Monkey Day is celebrated worldwide. It is aka World Monkey Day and International Monkey Day.

I mark the day because I feel that wild animals such as monkeys are similar enough to people and should be celebrated ... from the biggest mightiest gorilla to the tiniest most delicate pygmy marmoset. Too often we impose our human whims on other species in the name of research, entertainment, and even the impulses of those who would exploit that which should be allowed to remain wild and unfettered.

Perhaps other avenues in these areas might be more appropriate.

See Also:

Monkey Day
Monkey Day 2019