Primate Stories: Toto the Squirrel Monkey at Reid Park Zoo

As Lincoln Park Zoo continues its support of the Captive Primate Safety Act, we are showcasing the stories of animals affected by the unregulated keeping of primates as pets. This one comes from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, where a trafficked squirrel monkey is finally learning natural behaviors.

Two years ago, U.S. Border Patrol officials confiscated a squirrel monkey that was being taken over the border. Once discovered, this young primate was immediately sent to El Paso Zoo in El Paso, Texas, for care until he could be placed in a more permanent home. Today, he is learning how to be a monkey at Reid Park Zoo.

Image courtesy of Reid Park Zoo

About Squirrel Monkeys

Currently, seven separate squirrel monkey species can be found on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List, originating from Central and South America—especially the Amazon Basin region. While most, including common squirrel monkeys, are listed as species of Least Concern, two types are near threatened or endangered and most populations appear to be decreasing as a result of capture for the pet trade and habitat loss.

These little guys can be up to 16 inches tall (not counting the 16-inch-long, non-prehensile tail), making them among the smallest of the primates. They are highly vocal and thought to be quite intelligent. Squirrel monkeys live in large groups in forested areas, with up to 500 individuals.

Teaching Toto to Be a Monkey

The confiscated squirrel monkey, now named Toto, ended up at a good place—Reid Park Zoo. “He was underweight and had a necrotic injury to his tail,” says Director of Education and Conservation Jennifer Stoddard of Reid Park Zoo. “During his time at El Paso Zoo, his weight increased—but sadly the tip of his tail had to be amputated due to the severity of injuries he sustained prior to confiscation.”

When Toto arrived at Reid Park Zoo in 2023, he also needed advanced dental care. As is common practice with primates that are placed into the pet trade, his canine teeth had been filed down to make him less dangerous to humans. “His teeth were so altered that it required him to undergo multiple root canals to prevent infection and tooth loss,” Stoddard says.

Image courtesy of Red Park Zoo

The staff at Reid Park Zoo knew Toto needed socialization. They hoped he would bond with another squirrel monkey named Parker, and the two could create their own troop. However, Toto had trouble with this: “He did not understand the complex facial expressions and vocalizations of squirrel monkey social etiquette,” Stoddard explains. “These behaviors are learned at an early age. Unfortunately, they are lessons that Toto was not exposed to, since he may not have been able to interact with other squirrel monkeys when he was younger.”

Fortunately, zoo staff did not give up on Toto. Instead, they reached out to partners in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Squirrel Monkey Species Survival Plan®.

Enter Mango and Mateo, juvenile brothers from another AZA institution chosen to teach Toto how to be a squirrel monkey. In a press release, Reid Park Zoo’s Director of Animal Care Adam Ramsey noted, “We’re excited for Toto to have this opportunity to bond with other members of his species. He had a rough start to his life and behaves a little differently than monkeys that grew up in a troop. Mango and Mateo are both young enough to be welcoming to Toto while they show him the ropes of living in a group.”

Now, Toto is making progress! Animal Care staff at Reid Park Zoo have observed positive interactions between Toto, Mateo, and Mango—and they’ve seen Toto playing and exploring with enrichment items he had never engaged with before. The group can be spotted in the South American loop of the zoo at the Temple of Tiny Monkeys. Toto is currently the largest one, with the least amount of black fur at the end of his tail.

Images courtesy of Red Park Zoo

Not a Pet

Because of their diminutive size and cute features, squirrel monkeys are coveted as pets even though it’s illegal in many parts of the U.S. to own one—and even though primatologists say they require a lot of care and attention, including the company of other squirrel monkeys, to thrive.

Private citizens, no matter how well-meaning, are simply not well equipped to meet their basic needs for nutrition, shelter, or social stimulation. And they may be cute, but squirrel monkeys are likely not as cuddly as people think they are going to be. Known behaviors of these monkeys when being kept as pets include marking their territory with urine and throwing feces, and they are extremely destructive.

Toto was lucky, ending up in an AZA-accredited zoo that was able to give him the care needed to bring him back to health along with companions that would help him learn natural behaviors. Not all primates that become pets are so fortunate. However, the Captive Primate Safety Act will improve conditions for so many animals like Toto by federally prohibiting primates as pets. Learn more about the CPSA here.