Bucky and his long-time companion Timmy started their lives as “pets” in a human home. They came to live at the Primate Rescue Center in 2013 after their owner decided to surrender them and allow them to live out their lives in sanctuary. They continue to live together happily here at the PRC. Bucky is easy to spot among our long-tailed macaques as he usually sits with his tongue sticking out. He also has quite a bit of fluff under his chin that makes him appear to have a beard. No one can resist his super sweet face and personality!
Our monkey houses have indoor and outdoor spaces, so the monkeys can choose where they want to spend their time. Bucky prefers to be inside unless the weather is sunny and warm, so it is no surprise to find him sitting inside each morning. We start our day by checking on all of the primates and giving the monkeys a snack as they wait for their hearty breakfast of chopped produce. Bucky is always excited when the feed cart pulls up to his house first thing in the morning. He knows he will get a morning spread of sunflower seeds, which he scoops up by the handful.
At breakfast, we spread a variety of chopped fruits and vegetables among multiple feed baskets for the primates to forage through. After sweetly greeting his caregivers with an eyebrow raise and lip smack, Bucky will excitedly move from basket to basket to find his favorite fruits and veggies. He especially loves grapes and bananas but also gets excited about peppers.
Throughout the day, Bucky can be found checking out the wildlife along the creek, chewing on various enrichment toys, and exploring his enclosure. At dinner time, he is usually sitting front and center waiting to receive his dinner cup and chow biscuit. Our volunteers, interns, and staff come up with all sorts of fun, healthy recipes for our primates to eat, and Bucky is often a fan of them all. At night, Bucky snuggles up inside with Timmy and a pile of blankets to sleep. It is a real privilege to care for such an easy-going, sweet monkey!