Researching The Founders: Patti Ragan

After spending some time at Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, I drove 3.5 hours down to central Florida for part two of this trip - to interview Patti Ragan, founder of Center for Great Apes.

I was fortunate to once again stay on-site on sanctuary housing. The Center for Great Apes is a magical wonderland of exotic plants and even more exotic animals, and I had to pinch myself about getting to sleep there!

As Patti drove me around on a golf cart and talked to me about her life, we collected edible flowers that had dropped and saved them for the chimps to snack on later.

We were observed around every bend. I loved it.

Thank you to New England Anti-Vivisection Society for funding this trip, and my future trips as I interview sanctuary founders for this book. Your support is invaluable! Sending you all the Chimpanzee Love (check out the photo below...)

Researching The Founders: Kari Bagnall

I recently hopped a plane to Florida for the second of my trips to interview the subjects of The Founders (my second book, now in development. More information can be found here.) 

There are two sanctuaries in Florida whose founders I planned to interview, the first of which was Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. Its founder, Kari Bagnall, is a colleague and friend of mine through my years of work with NAPSA. I was excited to spend some time with her. She was a gracious host and was happy to talk with me about her sanctuary's history and founding.

I stayed on site in sanctuary housing, and was thrilled to see a familiar book set out in their library!

Similar to when I recapped my first interview for The Founders, there's not many details I can share at this time about what I learned and plan to write about. What I can share, though, are photos of beautiful monkeys I met on my sanctuary tour!

Every monkey at Jungle Friends is rescued from laboratory research or the exotic pet trade.

Monk Monk, a white-faced capuchin

Each one has a distinct personality.

Monk Monk again

A capuchin monkey

A think this is once again Monk Monk! She was very photogenic.

They all were curious about me, a newcomer. I was careful to give them space and not startle them, only approaching those who did not seem threatened or frightened.

A capuchin

Squirrel monkeys

This trip was made possible thanks to a grant from New England Anti-Vivisection Society. It is thanks to their generosity that I was able to begin my travel and research finally!  

 A squirrel monkey

I can't wait to share my book with the world, so I can tell how this wonderful facility grew to be a home for over 300 monkeys.

A capuchin

Researching The Founders: Martine Collette

I've been eager to start my next project for months now. There were some things holding it up at times, but I can now say that I am working on my second book! Tentatively titled The Founders, each chapter would provide an intimate glimpse into the life-altering moment that resulted in the development of a primate sanctuary – and ultimately, the saving of many lives.  

Researching this book involves interviewing sanctuary founders all over the country. Partial funding was generously provided by New England Anti-Vivisection Society, for which I am extremely grateful.

My first trip was the shortest - to Wildlife Waystation, on the outskirts of Los Angeles in Sylmar, CA, where I interviewed its founder, Martine Colette.

I can't share many details (guess you'll have to read the book!) but I can say that it was definitely not a normal day for me - full of expansive mountain views, ancient cacti, and exotic species.

Some of Martine's extensive collection of memorabilia: casts of hands of different primate species.

I look forward to sharing news of the trips to follow! I have much to do but look forward to every second.